Police search for woman in Sh30m fraud saga

Police officers in Mombasa County have launched a manhunt for a woman believed to have swindled roughly Sh30million from over 500 youth with a promise of getting them jobs in the Middle East.

Mombasa Urban OCPD Lucas Ogara said they had received a report that some youth in the county had paid a certain amount of money to a woman with the hope of getting work in Saudi Arabia in vain.

“I sent my officers to go to her agency office but she was not there, so we took the number that she has been using and we are trying to trace her,” the OCPD said.

Mr Ogara added that once arrested, the woman going by the name Zainabu, will be charged with fraud.

“When you obtain money for services which you don't deliver, you obtain money through false pretense and it is an offence,” he added.

Some of the youth claimed to have given out between Sh50, 000 and Sh100, 000.

Mr Msele Mohamed from Kisauni said he has waited for over a year to get his money back but it has been impossible.

“We want to leave this place with all our money. We will camp here until we get our hard earned cash. I personally gave Sh50, 000,” he said.

Ms Halima Iddi told the Nation she brought documents and paid commitment fees to secure a position for her son in the Middle East.

“I was informed of this Agency by a friend but we have now waited for over a year with nothing forthcoming. At some point this Ms Saleh took even my son’s passport.

"We came to the station for assistance but we are amazed that whenever she is reported to the police station she is always released,” Ms Iddi said.

They claimed that the agency owes them close to Sh30 million.

Edited by Philip Momanyi