Two NGO bosses arrested over alleged jobs scam

Two directors of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) have been arrested for allegedly engaging in a jobs scam.

Yesterday, police raided the Voi Constituency Development Fund hall where the NGO was conducting interviews.

At the time of the arrest, more than 500 youths had already paid Sh300 for registration where they were interviewed and awarded positions that ranged from manager of regional units to regional directors.

 SSASPF International Kenya, an NGO that purports to support poverty eradication programmes, had invited more than 600 youths from Voi and Mwatate sub-counties for the interviews on condition that each paid Sh300 for the interview, an issue that raised suspicion.

At the same time, doubts over the authenticity of the NGO emerged after a website it had claimed to be operating was found to be non-existent. According to the NGO's printed brochures, the organisation has branches in Central Kenya and Southern Africa where it engages in humanitarian activities among other programmes.

Voi police boss Joshua Lutakai confirmed that police had arrested the two directors and were being interrogated. "The probe will be extended to Nairobi where the organisation claimed to have its headquarters," he said. "We are finding the claims by the two directors deceitful and we need to dig deeper into the activities of the organisation," he added.

One of the organisation's officials, who only identified himself as Patrick, said the region's co-ordinator had failed to inform authorities about the recruitment exercise.

He said one of directors, who had been arrested, had letters addressed to the police and County Commissioner to inform them about the exercise.