Detectives in Nairobi have dismantled a syndicate accused of defrauding job seekers by selling them fake National Police Service (NPS) recruitment letters, in a series of coordinated operations in the city.

Officers from Kamukunji police station arrested a suspect who allegedly conned a Kenyan Kh45,000 after claiming he could “open doors” for a relative during the recently concluded NPS recruitment exercise.

The suspect, Samuel Lemino Sankuli, had promised to deliver an official docket number in Nairobi’s CBD.

However, according to reports, Sankuli was arrested after the detectives lured him to deliver what he claimed was a genuine docket number. Upon his apprehension, it was discovered that the document was forged, bringing his alleged scheme to a sudden halt.

The arrest follows another successful sting in Ngara, where three more scammers were rounded up over a similar scam that involved selling fake NPS calling letters to jobseekers.

At the scene, the officers found 10 youths who had been conned, each paying between Ksh600,000 and Ksh700,000 for letters purportedly admitting them at NPS Main Campus in Kiganjo.

A search of a vehicle linked to the suspects, a Toyota Sienta, registration number KDV 295D, blew the lid off the operation, recovering Sh700,000 in cash and ten fake calling letters.

The three suspects arrested in Ngara were identified as Tony Wanyota, Timon Kimeli, and Isaac Lang’at. They are currently being held in police custody as detectives tighten the investigations ahead of their arraignment in court.

The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has warned Kenyans against fraudsters who are selling fake recruitment slots and reiterated that NPS recruitment is free, transparent and merit-based and does not require any payment.