The Directorate of Criminal Investigations(DCI) has confirmed they are holding up to 15 people linked with the passport issuance scam.
The DCI carried out the operation to arrest the suspects following the directive by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki that investigations be conducted following numerous public complaints.
While 15 are in custody, the detectives are on the lookout for more people believed to be culprits carrying out the scam.
“In the ongoing operation, which was launched on Monday, October 2, 2023, six (6) Department of Immigration Services staff, including an intern, and nine (9) suspected brokers have been arrested, while the manhunt for more suspects who got wind of the operation and ran into hiding continues,” DCI said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
The DCI – terming the suspects as rogue – also said members of the public have been forced to pay to get the vital document.
“In the classic case of grand corruption, members of the public and foreigners seeking passports and work permits, respectively, have been forced to part with huge sums of money to access services after the rogue officials took advantage of a temporary system downtime to satisfy their sheer greed for extras,” the statement continued.
According to the agency, the suspects have a meticulous way of operating that involves brokers stationed around Nyayo House.
“The crooked officials went ahead to plant brokers around the facility to entice and collect funds from desperate applicants with emergency cases, as well as persons of means who were able to influence special treatment at the expense of ordinary Kenyans who procedurally tendered their applications,” it added.
DCI went ahead and gave full details of the people being held over the scam. The suspects were arrested following a raid at the Department of Immigration Services on Monday, October 2.
“This included Mr. Nicodemus Muide, Aloise Gitonga Kiura, Stephen Makokha, Mohamud Khalif Maalim, 38 (a broker), and Esther Ogega Nyambura, aka Pauline Nyangara Ogega, aka Carol, aka Purity, who is an intern at the department,” DCI stated.
One suspect, during interrogation, fell ill, had to be taken to the hospital, and was released on bail as the investigation continued.
“Confronted by the facts of the allegations laid against him, Mr. Muide unfortunately fell ill and was rushed to AAR Hospital along Kiambu Road, where he was diagnosed with a heart attack and high sugar levels.
“He was released on bail to continue with treatment as detectives sought custodial orders for the rest of the suspects at Kahawa Law Courts to complete investigations,” the Kiambu Road-based authority said.
More arrests
After the initial operation, DCI launched a day-two operation and went on to arrest more.
“In the subsequent operations at Nyayo House and the Central Business District, another staff member, Joseph Ireri Karani, and eight brokers have been arrested.
“These are Abdullahi Abdirahman Ali, Bashir Ore Ibrahim, Damaris Kwamboka Bosire, Charles Mucheru Mwangi, George Karancha Obare, Domiciano Makori Oketch, Isaac Mbulo, and Luke Lang’at.
“A trail of transactions by the suspects on their mobile money and bank accounts indicating how money was remitted to the immigration officers and their proxies has since been obtained, with the view of presenting water-tight evidence during prosecution,” DCI revealed.
After promising to clear and hasten the passport issuance process, Kindiki made an impromptu visit to Nyayo House, where there was an accumulated backlog of over 40,000 passport applications.
