Fraudsters target youth desperate to join army

Fraudsters posing as influential people are hovering around defence force’s recruitment venues, targeting desperate youth for quick money.

The tricksters are said to be approaching potential recruits, promising to secure them admission to the training college at a fee.

The suspects are able to produce almost genuine admission letters, but which, on closer inspection miss certain security features like seals. They demand between Sh200,000 and Sh300,000 for each recruit.

A Kenya Defence Forces undercover team posing as potential recruits, came across one of the smartly dressed fraudsters in Migori County.

“He came to Migori stadium where the recruitment was going on and called me aside after he had parked his car on the roadside. He asked if I could part with Sh250,000 to secure admission into the KDF college, to which I agreed,” said Mr Rajab Hassan, one of the undercover officers.

BE WARY

Mr Hassan said the man later asked him to go and pick his “calling letter” from a guard manning a bank in Migori Town.

“I went there and picked the fake letter and he called later to ask me to send the money by M-Pesa since he had already fulfilled his part of the bargain,” stated the officer.

“But since we wanted to lay a trap to arrest him, I insisted that he must come and collect the money personally but he apparently became suspicious and never showed up at the agreed venue,” added Mr Hassan.

The team leader, Colonel Lieutenant Joseph Kamari, asked the public to be wary of con men.

“Report anybody asking for bribes to the authorities for appropriate action. Legitimate recruits are never given their admission letters in the streets or hotels… be very cautious and consult us whenever you are in doubt,” he said.

The officer said the fraudsters were out to mint millions from desperate Kenyans who want their sons and daughters to join the army.