Police have arrested two people who were masquerading as EACC officers and soliciting bribes.
Benson Mwangangi and Anne Kanana were arrested on Monday last week in Kahawa West, Nairobi after one of the victims reported to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission that he had been swindled Sh700,000 by people claiming to be EACC investigators.
The victim told police that he had received a telephone call from a person identifying herself as Elizabeth Muasya based at Integrity Centre on January 6, 2022.
The caller informed him that he had been adversely mentioned in connection with illegal water connections from Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company whereby several people had been arrested and charged in court.
Elizabeth Muasya had further claimed that they had photographic evidence of the illegal connection as well as his passport that showed he was an old man.
The victim was made to believe that some of the culprits had paid bribes of between one and two million shillings and that the compromised water company employees had been taken to court.
He was told that his case would be terminated if he cooperated with the so-called investigators by paying Sh1 million bribe.
“Elizabeth had then advised him to go to Integrity Centre with the money where she would destroy the case file in his presence,” the police report read.
“During the conversation, Elizabeth handed the phone to her purported boss who had told him that if he cooperated, they would terminate his case. After a short while, the suspect called back and threatened to forward the file to court the following morning if he failed to deliver the money by 1 pm. “
Due to the mounting pressure, the complainant withdrew Sh200,000 and added another Sh200,000 which he handed over to the suspect, who was in the company of his purported boss at Roasters area on Thika road.
On January 7, the suspect called again demanding the balance.
According to the police report, the victim only had an additional Sh300,000 which he was ordered to take to Integrity Centre.
Image: EACC
“He met her at Muthaiga near Gertrude’s Garden Children’s Hospital and handed over the Sh300,00 inside a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicle registration No. KCB 717H. Thereafter, he was dropped off near Muthaiga Police Station with instructions to raise the balance of Sh300, 000,” the police report read.
The victim decided to report the matter to the commission on January 10 after the suspects continued demanding more money.
“Subsequent investigations led EACC officers to Kahawa West where they arrested the two suspects as they waited to receive the balance of Sh300,000,” the police said.
A pistol loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition was recovered from the suspect’s vehicle, which was also impounded.
This incident comes after reports of two imposters visiting the office of Senior Counsel John Khaminwa to intimidate and extort money from him.
The imposters cited his role in the BBI matter that was then before the Court of Appeal.
It was reported that the two also identified themselves as EACC officers despite lacking identification.
EACC has urged Kenyans to report suspicious individuals who introduce themselves as EACC officers without proper identification.
“This will ensure that such crooks are punished and serve as a way of deterring those entertaining thoughts of masquerading as EACC investigators,” the Commission said.
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