Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Tuesday arrested two Kenyans for allegedly extorting money from shop owners in Mombasa.
The fake officers who purported to be officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) pretended to inspect goods in shops within the Bamburi area. During the inspection, the suspects arrested and detained victims before extorting their hard-earned cash.
According to the EACC detectives, the suspects who were in the company of a police officer extorted shop owners alleging that the shopkeepers were selling expired goods.
The suspects reportedly duped the area police officers into believing that they were genuine KEBS officers and that they required police escort in a crackdown on expired goods in Mombasa shops.
Upon receiving information about the unfolding, the anti-graft detectives mounted an operation at Kadzandani Mwatamba Police Station where the arrested shop owners were being detained and extorted in the presence of police officers.
“The fraudsters were demanding amounts ranging from Ksh20,000 to Ksh50,000 as a mandatory condition for releasing the victims and returning their confiscated goods,” revealed the EACC officers.
Following their arrest, the suspects were detained at Mombasa Central Police Station and are set to be arraigned before the Mombasa Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday, September 9 at 9 am.
The duo were arrested after KEBS raised concern over a surge in cases of Kenyans impersonating KEBS officials to con unsuspecting Kenyans. According to KEBS, they reportedly received numerous complaints from coastal residents about the ongoing vice.
"These complaints range from invasion of business premises, seizure of goods, on-the-spot fines, solicitation of bribes to masts and detention of the individuals," KEBS revealed.
In a notice, the agency noted that it routinely conducts market surveillance as per its approved plans under the Standards Act and that the institution does not impose on-the-spot penalties or fines on non-compliant Kenyans.
"In addition, during a market surveillance field inspection activity, and in line with the provisions of the Fair Administrative Action Act, KEBS Inspectors issue Sample Collection Forms and Seizure Notification Forms to culprits and give them sufficient timelines to respond to KEBS findings," the government agency stated.
"When KEBS staff are out of a station in the execution of its legal mandate, which includes conducting market surveillance. they officially identify themselves and, where applicable, produce the Certificates of Appointments and KEBS Stuff Identification Cards."
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