Salim Swaleh, the Director of Press at Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi, is among government officials who have been arrested for allegedly aiding fraudsters to con foreigners.

Peter Warutere, the Secretary, Strategic Communication at the same office says, says Swaleh and other suspects were arrested Saturday, June 22 in connection to a cabal of fraudsters and government officers who facilitated their operations at Mudavadi’s office at Kenya Railways, Nairobi.

The arrests, Warutere says, followed a tipoff that alerted security, who then mounted intense surveillance at the office.

“The surveillance involved tracking a group masquerading as visitors. They would individually gain entrance into Railways Building on different dates and times by falsifying their identities (as VIP guests or Government Officers), and the officers they purported to be visiting,” a statement from the office reads in part.

It is reported that the fraudsters mainly targeted foreigners who would be shepherded into Railways Building ostensibly to meet high ranking government officers for “favours and bribes”.

Warutere says that the surveillance was able to track and identify the fraudsters’ co-conspirators, among them government officers, who facilitated their criminal acts.

“Those arrested include Salim Swaleh …, in whose office the swindlers were found nested with fake door switch nametags. Apparently, Government officers arrested had perfected “renting” office space to criminals by either vacating their offices for the fraudsters to use, or deceptively misrepresenting themselves. This deception also meant switching legitimate name tags with fake ones on office doors to advance scams,” the statement adds.

Upon being busted, it is alleged that the suspects attempted to bribe the officers.