The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismissed media reports claiming government officials were involved in a Ksh60 million targeting a foreign investor.
In a statement on Friday, March 20, DCI termed the report, which was published in a local daily, as misleading.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) wishes to set the record straight and strongly refute misleading and sensationalised headlines and reports appearing in sections of the media, particularly The Standard, concerning the arrest of seven individuals at Harambee House on 10th March, 2026,” the statement read.
The investigative agency noted that the seven suspects behind the fraud were arrested by detectives on March 10.
According to the DCI, the suspects posed as government officials from key government ministries and illegally accessed a boardroom on the 12th floor of Harambee House.
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The suspects allegedly lured two foreign nationals into a fictitious deal to supply 500 Toyota Hiace High Roof ambulances.
“The suspects were masquerading as officials from the Ministry of Interior, National Treasury, Ministry of Health and had lured two foreign nationals; Mr. Talal Yousef Yousef Zaitoun, representing M/S Jokara AB (a Swedish company), and his brother Mr. Hatem Youssef Yousef Zaitoun into a fictitious government tender for the supply of 500 Toyota Hiace High Roof Ambulances,” DCI stated.
Investigations indicate that the scheme began on January 10, 2026, when one of the victims received a WhatsApp message from an individual who later connected him to a supposed consultant.
The victim subsequently travelled to Kenya, where he was received at the airport and escorted into Harambee House through unauthorised channels.
“On 26th January, 2026, the victim travelled to Kenya, was received at the airport by the said Geoffrey Were and a driver, and taken to Harambee House. A female accomplice facilitated illegal entry past security checkpoints,” said the DCI.
The victim was taken to a conference room located on the 5th floor and was introduced to individuals posing as representatives of Treasury and the Ministry of Health.
He was presented with forged tender documents, including a fake pre-qualification certificate purportedly signed by the Head of Procurement and the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Interior.
The suspects offered two vestment packages to the victim, but he opted for the higher-tier deal and transferred $110,000 (Ksh 14,170,200) on January 30, 2026.
The victim again transferred $360,750 (Ksh46471815) to the same account on February 11, 2026, under the pretext of insurance, bringing the total funds fraudulently obtained to $470,750 (Ksh60,642,015).
At the time of their arrest, the suspects were pressing for a further $1,080,000 (Ksh139,125,600) in instalments, prompting the victims to return to Kenya for further negotiations.
Upon arrival, the victims were taken to a 12th-floor boardroom at Harambee House, where they met suspects who were later arrested.
The seven suspects include: Geoffrey Were Odondi, Michael Musyoki Ngumbi, Kororia Simatwa, Evans Simotwo, Allan Muthaiga Kariuki, Munialo Jared Masinde and Purity Njeri Njami.
DCI noted that Njeri, who is a former employee of the Ministry of Public Service, illegally facilitated access to the boardrooms but held no current position at Harambee House or the Ministry of Interior.
The suspects were arraigned at the Milimani Law Court on March 16 and charged with conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences, money laundering, and forgery.
They pleaded not guilty and were released on a bond of Ksh5 million each or an alternative cash bail of Ksh300,000, with two sureties.
DCI further emphasised that no serving government official or employee of the Ministry of Interior was involved in the scheme.
“The arrested persons were purely external fraudsters who exploited public institutions for criminal gain.
“The successful arrest underscores the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration and the vigilance of genuine public servants who assisted in exposing the syndicate,” DCI added.
The clarification follows a report by a local daily alleging that four of the suspects arrested in connection with the scam are linked to a senior government official and a lawmaker.
According to the newspaper, two of the suspects are aides to the lawmaker, while the other two suspects work in the office of the government official.
This comes weeks after DCI detectives arrested two suspects after defrauding a United States (US) citizen of Ksh28 million in a fake gold deal.
The hawkshaws launched an investigation into the fake gold scheme after Oleg Gershonov filed a report with the Capitol Hill police station on behalf of his American business partner, John Sodipo.
According to the DCI, Oleg first visited Kenya in September 2025 to pursue a gold transaction that never materialised. During the trip, Oleg established contacts with Wasonga, who is the prime suspect.
Sodipo then held talks with Wasonga for the purchase and subsequent chartering of 495 kilograms of gold to Dubai.
The US businessmen only realised they had been scammed after the gold shipment failed to arrive within the agreed timeframe.
Willis Wasonga, the prime suspect, presented himself at DCI Headquarters on Friday, February 13, 2026, before he was arraigned at Milimani Law Courts, where he pleaded not guilty and was granted a bond of Ksh1 Million.
His accomplice, Mohammed Noor, was arrested by detectives from DCI’s Operation Support Unit (OSU).
