The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday, October 15, arrested a con-woman linked to President Uhuru Kenyatta's office.
Joy Wangari Kamau alias Patricia Mareka was positively identified by one of her victims - Charles Gathii, who went on to claim that he had first met her at State House Nairobi.
In his statement, Gathii (a director at a software development company, Microhouse Technologies) went on to reveal that he lost Ksh116 million in a fake tender scam that was allegedly signed off at State House and later on ratified at Harambee House Annex where he met Wangari, popularly known as the 'boss lady', the People Daily reported.
Gathii stated that after the meeting, Wangari's associate identified as Douglas Simiyu, told him the project would proceed once he signed “a confidential non-disclosure agreement” after submitting a proposal and company profile which he did.
“Ms Mereka” is alleged to have handed him an award letter for the restricted classified tender No STHSE/SUPLS/0451-404/2017-2018/SH and a Purchase Order No POQ422, Ref; STHSE/LAPTOPS/018 dated January 3, 2018, for the supply of the laptops," the Daily Nation reported.
He further stated that on April 27, 2018, he allegedly wrote to State House, to follow up with the payments and a response was done on May 8, 2018, indicating it would be settled in 30 days.
Wangari is believed to be the mastermind behind a fake multi-million-shilling tender racket involving State House and Department of Defense (DoD).
The head of investigations bureau at DCI, John Kariuki, while confirming the arrest revealed that Wangari was facing several other fraud-related charges.
Another one of her victims, Stephen Ngei, also come forward, claiming to have lost Ksh180 million in 2018 in a fake computer tender scam.
