Four Arrested for Defrauding Nairobi Businessman of Sh88.8 Million in Fake Gov’t Tenders Scheme

Four people have been arrested for defrauding a Nairobi businessman of millions of shillings in a scheme involving award of fake government tenders. 

The four, identified as George Ochieng’ Onyango, Mercy Wahiga Wanjiku, Jackson Kiharo Mwondi and David Mapili, were on Monday arraigned in Kiambu Law Courts where they were charged with fraud.

They are accused of falsely obtaining Sh88.8 million from businessman Idris Ahmed Buro. The four are said to be part of a cartel that operates within government offices and use fake letters and Local Purchase Order to award inexistent tenders to victims.

The four had given Buro three fake tenders amounting to Sh230 million. One of the tender required him to deliver Panolin Hydraulic Lubricant to the government printer for Sh74.5 million.

In the other two contracts, the fraudsters asked him to supply 797 laptops to the ICT ministry at a cost of Sh125.9 million and software at Sh28.7 million.

Buro said one of the suspects posed as the acting head of procurement at the ministry of ICT during the award of the tender. “I would even meet him at the ministry’s offices on either the 9th or 10th floor,” he said.

The businessman says he imported the computers from China and delivered them to the ICT ministry, but was asked to take them to a store in Hurlingham.

Police say they have impounded expensive cars believed to have been acquired using the money received from Buro. The vehicles include a Ford Ranger double cabin and a brand new V8 Land Cruiser.