Barely a week after Police in Mtwapa seized fake Kenyan currency worth Sh6 million, police in Eldoret have nabbed five suspects and recovered machines used for printing fake money, computers used during the operation, fake college certificates and fake title deeds, among other documents.
The arrest comes days after more than 110 youth were arrested at the KDF Moi Barracks Recruits Training College in Eldoret for presented fake calling letters to join the military.
The suspects were arrested by Uasin Gishu County enforcement officers during a raid at a house in Kapkaren estate in Eldoret.
The operation was led by Governor Jackson Mandago’s security adviser Paul Ruto.
Scores of people have complained after being conned or given fake documents by the gang.
“The matter came to our notice after a resident told us he had been offered an employment letter at the county government for a fee. We arrested the suspects when the complainant went to collect the letter at a house in Eldoret,” Ruto said.
Ruto said the racket has been going on for a long time. The suspects have been printing fake stickers and trade licenses, causing the county to lose millions of shillings in revenue.
He said police are probing the matter and will arrest other suspects involved in the extensive racket.
Fake land titles and other government documents were also found in the house.
“We are cautioning Eldoret residents to be wary of conmen who pretend to be senior county staff who are in a position to offer employment. Such services can be accessed directly at the county offices and not through brokers,” Ruto said.
The youth arrested at Moi Barracks were charged in an Eldoret court. Most of them said they got the fake calling letters from people masquerading as KDF officers.
In Mombasa the officers conducted a search and found fake currency in the denomination of Sh1000, which totalled to 6.67 million.The police boss said the owner of the house escaped.
Chemicals used to process the money including glycerine and aluminium foil were seized in a vehicle parked outside the suspect’s house. The vehicle was towed to a police station.