The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has verified that up to 15 persons are being held in connection with the Nyayo house passport issue fraud.
The DCI conducted the arrests in response to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki’s direction that investigations be launched in response to many public complaints.
While 15 people have been apprehended, authorities are on the lookout for more suspects in the fraud.
“In the ongoing operation, which was launched on Monday, October 2, 2023, six (6) Department of Immigration Services staff, including an intern, and nine (9) suspected brokers have been arrested, while the manhunt for more suspects who got wind of the operation and ran into hiding continues,” DCI said in a statement on X account.
The DCI – terming the suspects as rogue – also said members of the public have been forced to pay to get the vital document.
According to the organization, the corrupt officials proceeded to station brokers about the facility in order to attract and collect payments from desperate applicants with emergency cases.
The brokers would also target anyone willing to pay for special treatment at the expense of ordinary Kenyans who applied through the normal channels.
Detectives said they established a trail of transactions by the accused on their mobile money and bank accounts revealing how money was transmitted to immigration officers and their proxies in order to offer watertight evidence during prosecution.
The arrest of the 15 comes just six weeks after four other suspects were detained on August 25 for soliciting bribes for passport issue.
