The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismissed reports claiming that seven government officials attached to President William Ruto’s office were arrested, clarifying that the suspects are not state employees.
In a statement issued on Friday, March 20, DCI Director of Corporate Communications John Marete said the individuals arrested on March 10 were external actors involved in an elaborate fraud scheme targeting foreign investors.
According to the DCI, the suspects impersonated senior officials from key government ministries, including the Ministries of Interior, National Treasury, and Health, in a bid to lure unsuspecting investors with promises of lucrative government tenders.
Investigations revealed that the fraudsters dangled fictitious deals, including the supply of Toyota ambulances, to convince their targets of the legitimacy of the scheme.
“The detectives had earlier established that the fraudulent scheme commenced on January 10, 2026, when one of the foreigners received an unsolicited WhatsApp message from a Kenyan,” the DCI said.
The victims were subsequently invited to Kenya, where they were received at the airport and escorted to Harambee House, which houses offices of the Ministry of Interior.
Detectives revealed that a female accomplice facilitated unauthorized access past security checkpoints, allowing the victims to enter restricted areas. They were then taken to a conference room on the fifth floor, where they met individuals posing as senior officials from the National Treasury and Ministry of Health.
The suspects presented forged tender documents, including fake pre-qualification certificates allegedly signed by senior government officials, to reinforce deception.
The DCI said the fraudsters demanded substantial payments disguised as facilitation fees, insurance costs, and tender processing charges.
“They offered two packages: Ksh11.5 million for a single five-year business opportunity or KSh14.1 million for multiple opportunities over the same period,” the statement read.
One of the victims reportedly opted for the higher package and transferred KSh14.1 million on January 30, 2026, from a sister company in China to a Kenyan law firm. A further KSh46.4 million was sent on February 11 under the pretext of insurance, bringing the total amount lost to KSh60.6 million.
At the time of their arrest, the suspects were allegedly pressuring the victims to pay an additional KSh139 million in instalments, prompting the investors to return to Kenya for further negotiations.
Upon their arrival, the victims were again taken to a boardroom on the 12th floor, where they met the suspects, who were subsequently arrested by detectives.
The seven suspects have since been arraigned in court and charged with multiple offences, including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and handling proceeds of crime.
