By Andrew Kariuki
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a man accused of impersonating a National Intelligence Service (NIS) officer to orchestrate a Ksh 15 million fraudulent tender scheme.
The suspect, Joel Wanyama Simiyu, is alleged to have falsely presented himself as a senior officer attached to the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) Board, using the guise to deceive a construction firm into undertaking a non-existent project.
According to investigators, Simiyu convinced the contractor that he had secured a government-funded project at Kaptis Primary Special School in Hamisi Sub-County, Vihiga County.
To legitimize the scheme, the suspect allegedly staged a fake project handover, complete with forged contract documents and introduced an accomplice posing as an engineer to influence unauthorized project variations.
The contractor was misled into proceeding with construction works and paid approximately Ksh 1.4 million in what was presented as facilitation fees.
The fraud was uncovered when the firm sought payment from the NG-CDF office in Hamisi, only to discover that no such project had been approved.
Investigations further revealed that the suspect later resurfaced and demanded an additional Ksh 20,000, claiming he would facilitate the processing of payment.
EACC officers arrested him while receiving the money. He was subsequently booked at Kisumu Central Police Station and later released on a cash bail of Ksh 20,000 pending further investigations.
The Commission has indicated that efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend any accomplices involved in the scheme.
EACC has urged members of the public and contractors to remain vigilant and to verify procurement processes through official government channels to avoid falling victim to similar fraud schemes.
