Two individuals were accused of collecting money under false pretenses after reportedly defrauding renowned athlete Mercy Jelangat of Sh300,000 in exchange for a promise to recruit her unemployed cousin into the national police service.
According to section 313 of the penal code, Lilian Awuor and Abdalla Anyienda are accused of defrauding the athlete of the money on various times between April 1 and April 4, 2022, in Nairobi’s Kasarani Sub County.
While claiming to be in a position to hire Jelangat’s cousin into the National Police Service while knowing the opposite was untrue, they are accused of conspiring with others who are still at large to conduct the crime.
Her acquaintance told Ms. Jelangat that he had met powerful figures in government who might be able to persuade her to register her cousin in the NPS during the March 2022 recruiting drive.
She located one of the suspects’ phone number who is wanted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and called him. Later, she used M-Pesa to send the person Sh300,000 in two batches.
Since the suspect turned off the phone after receiving the money, Ms. Jelangat’s cousin was never hired by the NPS.
In March, Ms. Jelangat reported the incident to the Kasarani Police Department. The DCI seized control of the inquiries and detained the two suspects.
Before Makadara Law Courts Principal Magistrate Eric Mutunga, Ms. Awuor and Mr. Anyienda disputed the accusations. They were freed on a Sh150,000 bond and a Sh100,000 alternative cash bail. Before the hearing begins on September 21, 2023, the case will be discussed on June 14, 2023.
Less than two months prior, a suspected fraudster who was apprehended while reportedly trying to trick young people into applying for jobs with the Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) was charged with impersonation.
In February, Paul Maina Kirera was detained at the KFS headquarters in Karura on Kiambu Road in Nairobi after he allegedly identified himself to security personnel there as a Brigadier in the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF).
Mr Kirera was charged with personating a public officer contrary to section 105 (b) of the penal code after allegedly telling KFS’ chief inspector Charles Kimeli that he is a public officer employed by the KDF.
He is facing three similar counts of personation where he is accused of falsely presenting himself as a brigadier to three different KFS security officers at the gate on the same date.
Mr Kirera denied the charges before Makadara Chief Magistrate Francis Kyambia and pleaded for lenient bail terms claiming he is sickly. He was freed on a bond of Sh100,000 and a cash bail of a similar amount. The matter is still pending before court.
