Bomet Municipality has cautioned the public following the discovery of a fraudulent syndicate posing as county officials to illegally collect revenue from unsuspecting residents and business owners in various towns in Bomet County.

In a press briefing on Monday, December 22, 2025, the municipality’s manager, Davis Langat, announced that a group of three individuals has been operating across Bomet and Sotik towns for over three years.

“The individuals who are well known as Kimutai Bett alias Captain, Weldon Chepkwony (KDF) and Kiprono Siele are moving around claiming to be the staff from the municipality, yet, indeed, they are not,” Langat stated.

He said the persons of interest have gone as far as branding their own uniforms to mimic official county attire, effectively deceiving the public into believing they are legitimate employees.

Langat stated that these individuals have been masquerading as county staff, siphoning resources meant for the people of Bomet.

“They have even branded uniforms to match ours, leading the public to believe they are authorised officers when, in fact, they are acting entirely on their own,” Langat stated.

The crackdown follows a surge in complaints from the local business community regarding exorbitant fees being charged for “development approvals” within the municipality.

Langat said his office received more complaints that led them to start their investigations in order to single out the individuals.

Taming graft

Upon investigation, it was discovered that these payments were never remitted to the county coffers, and the municipality has not instructed them to do the collections.

He further warned the public to stop any payment to any individual who does not have the necessary documentation to prove that they are the actual staff of the county.

“We received numerous reports from traders frustrated by high payments. We want to be clear: any money handed over to these impostors is for their personal benefit and does not reach the county. The public must cease making any payments to these people immediately,” Langat warned.

The Municipalitysaid they have formally reported the three individuals to the police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to assist them in the investigation.

Langat emphasised that those who continue to pay the fraudsters are not exempt from their official tax obligations, as the illegal payments are not recorded in the county system.

“The county has reported this matter to the relevant authorities for a thorough investigation so that the people of Bomet can get justice,” Langat said.

 “To the public: if you pay these individuals, the municipality will still require you to settle your dues because those illegal transactions do not exist in our records.”

The Manager urged residents to be vigilant and verify the identity of any official requesting money. He insisted that all suspicious activity should be reported immediately to the municipal offices in Bomet and Sotik.