The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has nabbed two Kenyans accused of masterminding a Ksh22 million edible oil scam that defrauded five businessmen.
The two were arraigned in court on Wednesday, March 12. It was revealed that their con job began in January 2024, when one of the scammers lured unsuspecting businessmen operating in City Market with a deal that was too good to turn down.
In the scam, one of the fraudsters claimed that his female accomplice had acquired a lucrative tender with the World Food Program (WFP) to supply edible oil to the Kakuma Refugee Camp.
According to the man, the business venture promised an immense profit, and his overtures were enough to lure businessmen who were oblivious to the ponzi scheme to invest their hard-earned cash in the scam.
To prove the validity of the business venture, the two fraudsters are said to have taken the businessmen to Eldoret, where they met two individuals masquerading as WFP officials.
The businessmen are then said to have signed a fabricated agreement in the meeting, unknowingly sealing their fate when they handed over their funds to the fraudsters.
“The fraudsters vanish into thin air, severing all communication and leaving the victims in despair,” the investigative body disclosed.
Consequently, the five businessmen reported the case, and a manhunt was launched by the sleuths to track the two masterminds of the con job.
Their investigative trail, done through forensic-led intelligence, led to the sleuths nabbing the lady in Narumoru and the man in Nairobi.
The pair was later arraigned in court, and the accused lady was denied bond due to failure to appear in court in a previous case. Meanwhile, her accomplice was granted a bond of Ksh900,000 with a similar surety or a cash bail option of Ksh400,000.
At the same time, the DCI called upon other members of the public who may have been preyed on by the fraudsters to report to their DCI Nairobi Regional Headquarters or through their toll-free number.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations calls upon any members of the public who may have fallen victim to these fraudsters to come forward and report. Reports can be made at the DCI Nairobi Region Headquarters or anonymously via the FichuaKwaDCI toll-free no. 0800 722 203,” DCI averred.
