Seven held over fraud in Kenya Defence Forces listing

By MICHAEL SAITOTI and BOAZ KIPNGENO

Seven people, among them government officers, acting as brokers during the ongoing Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment exercise were arrested in Kericho County.

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Kinyota, a senior recruitment officer, said the fraudsters posed as the people behind the candidates’ success during the recruitment and demanded money from their parents.

“The group often comes to the recruitment venues and follows the process and notes the successful recruits. They then call their parents, claiming that they were responsible for any successful recruitment because they bribed military officers. They then demand ‘their money’ back,” Kinyota said.

He added: “They were taken away by the District Criminal Officer and we hope the law will take its course and they will serve as an example for whoever may want to hatch a similar scheme,” Kinyota said.

Meanwhile, Several youths were turned away from the Kenyatta Stadium in Maralal during the Kenya Defence Forces recruitment exercise for having bullet scars on their bodies.

The young men, however, protested the move, saying the scars were the result of bandit attacks that are rampant in the area.

Saidimu Leshore, one of those disqualified, said the scar on his body was a result of a bullet injury he suffered several years ago in Baragoi.

He said the youth from the area should have been exempted from the requirement that candidates should not have scars on their bodies.

However, according to Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Nyaga, the exercise was fair and in accordance with required KDF standards.

No interference

“Most of the youths were disqualified because they are underweight, and we are grateful that there was no interference from political leaders like there was last year,” said Nyaga. Twelve recruits were selected to join the Kenya Defence Forces from the county.

Meanwhile, Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda has warned his constituents to be wary of conmen taking advantage of the ongoing army recruitment to defraud the public.

The legislator, who was addressing journalists at his Bondo office, cautioned his constituents to be on the look-out for conmen purporting to be recruitment agents.