NAIROBI, Kenya — Detectives on Tuesday arrested two women accused of running a fraudulent scheme in Nairobi’s Central Business District, where they allegedly sold fake National Police Service (NPS) recruitment letters to desperate job seekers.
The arrests on December 9 followed multiple complaints from members of the public, especially victims who said they were approached around the busy Kencom area and promised guaranteed slots in the police service in exchange for bribes.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspects convinced job seekers that they had access to official recruitment channels and could secure them calling letters for a fee.
Acting on intelligence, detectives launched an operation that led to the arrest of the two women and the recovery of Sh320,000, believed to be proceeds of the scam.
Investigators said the suspects were questioned and linked to a broader operation traced to the Upper Hill area, where a third accomplice is believed to have been coordinating the scheme.
The unidentified male suspect reportedly fled upon learning that detectives were pursuing him, abandoning his Mazda station wagon in the process.
Police recovered two additional fake NPS letters from the vehicle, strengthening evidence that the group was part of a wider criminal network exploiting job seekers.
The two women remain in custody pending arraignment, while the abandoned vehicle has been secured as an exhibit. Detectives said a manhunt is underway for the third suspect, who is believed to have orchestrated the distribution of forged documents.
The arrests add to a growing number of cases involving fraudulent police recruitment rackets. On December 8, another suspect — whose name reportedly resembles that of Deputy Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli — was charged with obtaining Sh2 million from families after promising positions within the police service.
A week earlier, a different suspect allegedly extorted Sh2.5 million from job seekers using a similar scheme.
Security analysts note that police recruitment scams tend to spike around official hiring cycles, often targeting young people frustrated by unemployment and the highly competitive nature of disciplined forces’ vetting processes.
Under the National Police Service Act and Kenya’s anti-corruption laws, impersonation, forgery and obtaining money by false pretences attract significant penalties, including hefty fines and jail terms.
The DCI has urged Kenyans to be cautious and to verify any recruitment information through official police communication channels, warning that no legitimate hiring process requires payment.
