Authorities in Eldoret have arrested three individuals suspected of running a fraudulent job recruitment program targeting rural youth in Uasin Gishu County.
According to Uasin Gishu Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Daniel Muleli, the suspects allegedly transported dozens of young people from areas such as Ziwa to Eldoret City, promising lucrative job opportunities in Dubai.
The youth were initially taken to a hotel in Eldoret before being transferred to a home near the Annex area, raising suspicions among the recruits.
They had also been handed recruitment forms, some partially written in Chinese, purportedly linked to a Chinese company.
“At Annex, the youth were taken to a home, which caused suspicion. An alert was made to us, and we immediately dispatched officers who arrested the suspects,” Muleli said.
The suspects claimed to be affiliated with a registered recruitment agency licensed by the National Employment Authority (NEA) to operate in Nairobi but not in Eldoret.
“One of those arrested claims to be the CEO of the agency, which lacks authority to operate in this area,” Muleli added.
Some of the victims, including Japheth Kipngetich, Job Kipkosgey, and Aaron Kiplimo, recounted how they were lured by promises of well-paying jobs abroad.
“They came to Ziwa and promised us jobs. Unskilled workers were to earn Ksh38,000, while skilled workers were promised over sh60,000,” Kipkosgey said.
Initially, the recruits were told that the documentation process would be free, but later the suspects demanded payment before finalizing the recruitment.
The arrests have brought renewed attention to the rising cases of fraudulent job recruitment in Uasin Gishu, where many residents have lost millions of shillings to scams offering jobs and education opportunities abroad.
DCI boss Muleli assured the public that investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the scheme and provide guidance on the next steps.
“We will investigate the matter thoroughly to establish the truth before taking further action,” he said.
Authorities have urged residents to verify the legitimacy of recruitment agencies through the National Employment Authority and report any suspicious activities.
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