Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested a lawyer in connection with a fraudulent tender scheme that defrauded an American businessman of over Ksh182 million.
DCI in a statement on November 6, 2024, said that the suspect was taken in within the precincts of Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
His arrest follows a complaint filed by an American national who was conned into making substantial payments to a ring of scammers operating within the capital.
According to DCI, the male suspect was apprehended after attending a court session for the mention of a separate criminal case in which he is the accused.
The origins of the case date back to 2022 when the complainant, the proprietor of an American-based company was lured to Kenya allegedly meet some government officials and discuss the award of tenders by the government.
“Oblivious of the prime suspect’s choreographed machinations, the complainant flew into the country, where they held several meetings in various offices and was handed three different fake tender documents,” part of the statement reads.
The victim was handed a first tender document on supply of installation, and commissioning of the area control center and disaster recovery system equipment.
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American swindled
The second tender document was on the provision of consultancy services for the process of designing, implementing, and maintenance of an Information Management System (IMS).
Additionally, the third tender documents were on supply, delivery, installation, and Commissioning of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS).
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DCI further revealed that the fraudulent syndicate instructed the complainant to make payments to facilitate the supposed tender awards and work permits.
Unbeknownst to the victim, these transactions were actually for personal gain, funneling money into various escrow accounts controlled by a network of lawyers involved in the scam.
The victim was coerced into making payments totaling $1,617,200 (approximately Ksh182,743,600) through four listed law firms and their escrow accounts.
Detectives stated that the funds were purportedly for legal fees, work permits, and bid bonds for the fake tender contracts. The breakdown of the payments is as follows:
However, the complainant, initially reassured by what appeared to be legitimate arrangements, soon began to realize that the so-called government officials were nothing more than part of an elaborate scam.
Lawyer arrested after DCI launches investigation
After months of futile attempts to follow up on the payments, with the fraudsters blocking communication and dodging meetings, the victim was left devastated and reported the matter to the DCI.
Following the report, DCI detectives launched an investigation into the fraudulent operation.
“The first suspect who is not new to court corridors over such scams, was taken into custody and processed for arraignment today, but was later released on cash bail to await the approval of the charges preferred against him by the ODPP,” the statement adds.
DCI is still in pursuit of his accomplices.
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