Last week, media reports focussed on 77 Chinese nationals who were arrested in Kenya after the authorities established that they were running a cyber command centre within the country's capital, Nairobi.

According to the Kenyan government, the facility had the capability to shut down the country's communication system.

"What has been going on here is actually a cyber command centre and a huge criminal gang running a cyber crime framework here," the cabinet secretary for information, communication and technology, Fred Matiang'i said.

Since their arrest, members of the group have been in discussion with representatives from the Chinese embassy officials. The Chinese consulate released a statement that denied the proposition that the group was running a cyber command centre.

"Based on Consular visits by Chinese Embassy Officials, many of the 77 are not well educated. Their communications have many Chinese grammar and calligraphy mistakes, let alone speak or write in English," a statement from the consulate read in part.

The statement also said that the suspects have no capacity to engage in cyber crime and high security hacks, including penetrating mobile money services.

"Their job might simply be reading the carefully prepared 'Actor's Lines' to cheat the victims through telephone calls."

The Chinese consulate also says that the group has been active inside China defrauding insurance and bank customers, posing as officials.

Chinese Embassy spokesman Mao Yizong is said to have thanked the Kenyan authorities for unearthing the illegal operations.