BUSIA, Kenya- Detectives have arrested a man accused of posing as a Kenya Defence Forces officer and obtaining Sh1.1 million from parents seeking recruitment opportunities for their children.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said Brian Shem Maboni Achieng was arrested at Cereda Guesthouse in Shibale Trading Centre, Nambale, following an intelligence-led operation.
According to investigators, detectives found the suspect in a room with a 22-year-old woman whose mother had taken her there in the belief that he could secure her a place in the Kenya Defence Forces.
Another young woman had also been brought to the premises by a parent seeking a KDF recruitment slot, the DCI said.
Cash-for-recruitment allegations
The DCI said that Achieng presented himself as a KDF officer with influence over recruitment and received a total of Sh1.1 million in cash from victims’ parents between September and November.
Investigators say the money was paid on different dates in exchange for promises of enlistment into the military.
A search of the room led to the recovery of medical items, including two syringes, one containing what detectives described as a blood sample and another containing a clear fluid, as well as a stethoscope, blood-pressure machine, surgical spirit and cotton wool.
The DCI said preliminary inquiries indicated that blood and urine samples had been collected from one of the women under the guise of a KDF medical examination.
Detectives also recovered a laptop, computer accessories, two mobile phones and white T-shirts bearing the inscriptions “CODE 87243” and “CODE 624513”.
Other items recovered included Kenyan and Ugandan identity documents, a Ugandan driving permit and a VISA card, all bearing the suspect’s photograph, according to the DCI.
The recovered items have been detained as exhibits as investigations continue.
KDF recruitment is free
The arrest comes as the Ministry of Defence prepares for a KDF recruitment drive scheduled for December 2026.
In its official recruitment advert, the Ministry says the process is free and open to eligible candidates, warning that bribery or attempts to influence recruitment are criminal offences.
The Ministry also advises applicants to rely only on official recruitment announcements and to treat any person demanding money or claiming influence over KDF recruitment with caution.
The DCI has urged the public not to pay recruitment agents or intermediaries for places in the disciplined services, saying genuine recruitment is conducted through officially announced and transparent procedures.
Achieng remains in police custody pending arraignment.
