On Wednesday, November 6, detectives from the Operations Support Unit of the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested a lawyer linked to a large-scale fake tender scam.
The suspect was apprehended after an American national filed a complaint, alleging a financial loss of over Ksh182 million due to fraudulent activities orchestrated by a ring of scammers operating in Nairobi.
The arrest took place within the precincts of the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, following a court session in which the suspect had appeared for the mention of a different criminal case in which he was also the accused.
According to the DCI, this fraudulent scheme traces back to 2022. That year, the proprietor of an American-based company was invited to Kenya under the guise of discussing government tenders.
The victim was led to believe that high-level government contracts would be awarded to him, and he traveled to Kenya with the intent of meeting alleged government officials.
Upon his arrival, the victim participated in several meetings held in various locations, where he was presented with what appeared to be official documents related to three lucrative government tenders.
The first document he received detailed a supposed tender for the supply, installation, and commissioning of an area control center and disaster recovery system equipment.
The second tender document was for consultancy services aimed at designing, implementing, and maintaining an Information Management System (IMS).
The third and final document outlined the provision of services related to the supply, delivery, installation, and commissioning of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS).
Each of these contracts appeared legitimate, crafted to resemble official government paperwork, which further convinced the victim of their authenticity.
Under the pretense of facilitating these tenders, the victim was pressured to make several payments.
These payments were ostensibly required to cover administrative fees, permit costs, and other prerequisites that the victim was told had to be fulfilled before work on the projects could commence.
In total, payments amounting to USD 1,617,200 (approximately Ksh182.7 million at the current exchange rates) were made by the victim, following specific instructions from individuals posing as government officials.
These funds were deposited across four different accounts, each managed by a distinct law firm.
It later emerged that these accounts were fraudulent, operated by individuals within the scam ring.
Once the full amount had been transferred, the victim noticed a change in the behavior of the purported officials.
The suspect began avoiding contact, failed to attend scheduled meetings, and eventually severed all communication with the victim.
Frustrated and realizing he had likely fallen victim to a scam, the American national decided to file a formal complaint with the DCI.
This led to an investigation by the Operations Support Unit, which ultimately uncovered the suspect’s involvement in the fraudulent scheme.
The DCI report indicated that the lawyer, having been found on the Milimani Law Courts premises, was taken into custody.
The arrest represents a significant step in addressing the rising cases of tender-related fraud, a scam model that has impacted multiple businesses and investors in recent years.
However, despite the serious nature of the case and the considerable sum involved, the suspect was released on cash bail later that same day.
He is now awaiting further developments as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) reviews and approves the charges recommended by the DCI for prosecution.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the sophisticated and organized nature of scam operations that continue to target foreign investors in Kenya.
The DCI’s efforts to bring those responsible to justice are ongoing, as they work to prevent similar scams from eroding confidence among international investors and impacting the country’s economic reputation.
The case has sparked conversations around the need for enhanced measures to protect potential investors and businesses from such elaborate fraud schemes.
The DCI has reiterated its commitment to pursuing justice for the victims and dismantling networks of individuals who engage in such activities, especially where legal and professional channels are exploited to facilitate these scams.
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