Four prison officers arrested for allegedly conning victims KSh2.1M in fake police recruitment scheme

Four Kenya Prisons Service officers linked with the issuance of fake police recruit reporting letters and defrauding victims of their KSh2.1million have been arrested.

In the Saturday morning incident, Stellah Kemunto and Joash Ounde made a report at Kiamumbi Police Station that a person they knew as Jefferson Kivuva had introduced them to the officers, who promised slots at the National Police College - Kiganjo- upon payment of a mandatory fee.

Kemunto and Ounde, however, became suspicious when upon payment, they went to pick their letters at an agreed location only to be met by people in a white Toyota Probox hawking recruit reporting letters to other unsuspecting victims.

Upon the arrival of police officers at the scene, the suspects attempted to flee but four of them were arrested and 20 additional fake letters recovered in the vehicle.

Identity of prison officers arrested

Those arrested are Sergeant Violet Gachomo of Industrial Area Motor Vehicle Deport, Corporal Ben Mburu of Industrial Area Remand Prison, Corporal Florence Ndung'u and Corporal Beatrice Wambui both from the Prisons Headquarters.

"We want to remind the public that the National Police Service concluded its recruitment drive on 24th March 2022 and there is no ongoing recruitment drive in the Service.

"The public is urged not to fall for con-scheme ploys meant to benefit fraudsters at their expense. While we encourage victims of similar con-schemes to book reports at their nearest police stations for assistance, we promise not to relent in taking tough and decisive action against persons responsible for similar criminality," warns the National Police Service.