Police arrest suspects in immigration syndicate
Two men were on Monday evening arrested for running a fake Facebook account and impersonating immigration department personnel.
The two were arrested after it emerged they have been running a Facebook page “immigration customer Ke” where they frequently posted information on the services offered by the department.
From the page, they have been directing unsuspecting members of the public seeking services at immigration to send direct messages to them for assistance.
Also Read:
They gave personal numbers for further communication.
Investigations have shown the two have been working with individuals stationed at Immigration offices at Nyayo House who helped them access the victims’ data and later use the same to make documents.
They promise victims that they would help fast-track their applications for passports, visas and work permits and charge various amounts for the services.
“Once the victims pay the deposit for the process to begin, the two create hurdle after hurdle which they use to keep siphoning money from the victims.
They eventually stop answering the victims’ calls,” said director general of Immigration Alex Muteshi.
Muteshi called on Kenyans to stop engagement with such accounts and individuals and instead seek services at designated offices.
To be arraigned
The officers handling the matter said the two will be arraigned in court today to face charges of impersonation.
Police say there is a surge of cases of impersonation cases with unsuspecting Kenyans being conned of valuables and cash.
Last month, two men were arrested for impersonating the Deputy Inspector General Police Edward Mbugua.
One of them had opened a fake Facebook account through which he was impersonating Mbugua.
He also had two mobile numbers which he had registered using Mbugua’s name.
Police said they arrested one suspect in Donholm and the second one in Kahawa West estate, Nairobi, and recovered a pair of handcuffs and a rubber stamp of the Ministry of Devolution.
Central police boss Mark Wanjala said the arrests were made after they received complaints from unsuspecting members of the public that had been conned.
