Police in Eldoret are holding a 34-year-old man accused of pretending to be a General Service Unit (GSU) officer attached to President William Ruto’s mother.

The suspect was booked at the Central Police Station following investigations into complaints from a victim of extortion said to be a military officer.

Posing as GSU officer, he is said to have demanded Sh400,000 from his victim with a promise to enlist his orphan relative in the forthcoming Kenya Prison Service nationwide mass recruitment exercise.

The suspect who is a father of three, was arrested in Eldoret town by the victim with the help of members of the public, and escorted to the police station.

He had told the military officer that he has links to State House and that he was in a position to ensure his orphaned relative secured employment in the Kenya Prison on condition that he parts with Sh400,000.

Linked up

“I was linked to the suspect through a well-known friend of mine who claimed to be a police corporal attached to Eldoret Police Station. I believed him when he referred me to the suspect for assistance to secure a job for my orphaned relative in Kenya Prisons Service,” said the military officer who declined to be named.

The military officer, however, said he sensed all was not well after the suspect declined to show him his identity card as requested.
“When I showed him my card, he started panicking and tried to jump on a motor bike but I warned the rider not to take him anywhere,” he said.

Dirty deals

Turbo sub-county officer in charge of Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Richard Okeri confirmed the arrest of the suspect and said he was helping them with investigations into an alleged recruitment scam.

“We shall arraign him in court if he is found culpable in the matter,” said Okeri.

Speaking to the media in his office Okeri warned members of the public to stay vigilant in the wake of fraudsters posing as police officers asking for payment in exchange for non-existing jobs.

He warned the public against falling prey to the unscrupulous individual’s purporting to be in a position to help their jobless youths to join the police force or the national government.