3 People Lose Sh1.8 Million in Fake Police Recruitment

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 7- Detectives based in Karatina are investigating an incident where three persons lost Sh1.8 Million, after being promised Police jobs in the recently concluded police recruitment exercise.

The three, Dismas Kirwa, 25, Felix Kiprotich, 28 and Jepn’getich Kosgei, 20, had traveled from Nairobi and were made to believe that they were headed to the prestigious National Police College Main Campus – Kiganjo, where they would begin their recruits course culminating to an illustrious career in the police service.

Earlier, their parents had accompanied them to Nairobi from Nandi county, where they secured their ‘employment’ outside the Hilton hotel after parting with Sh 600,000 each.

After being shown their ‘offer letters’ they were ushered into a waiting Toyota Noah and the driver instructed to drop them at the premier police training institution.

However, upon reaching Karatina the driver stopped the vehicle for lunch before proceeding with the rest of the journey.

They enjoyed a meal at a nearby restaurant, as they looked forward to joining other recruits at the college situated approximately 20 kilometres away.

After the meal, they were shocked to find the vehicle they had used missing from the parking slots at Mathai Supermarket, where it had been parked.

With feigned surprise, the driver suggested that the vehicle could have been stolen.

However, one of the victims wasn’t convinced that the vehicle had disappeared miraculously and from the driver’s mischievous demeanor, he could tell that the driver was taking them for a ride.

Upon sensing danger the driver identified as Martin Nyaga took a step back and sprinted for dear life, as the ‘potential recruits’ gave chase closely behind.

Nyaga didn’t manage 30 metres before one of the victims caught up with him in a dramatic scene that left Karatina town at a standstill.

As the word went round about the incident, members of the public noticed an abandoned Subaru at the Kerugoya junction locally known as Thailand.

Detectives based at Karatina rushed to the scene and gained access to the vehicle, where fake letters of offer were recovered.

The vehicle that had ferried the three and their belongings were however missing and efforts to trace it are still underway.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has cautioned members of the public to be wary of fraudsters purporting to sell fake letters of offer to join the National Police Service or any other government institution.

In particular, the Police recruitment exercise was conducted countrywide and successful candidates have since reported for training.

Equally, members of the public are cautioned that giving a bribe as well as receiving one is an offence contrary to the Bribery Act 2016.