Con woman strikes Kisumu MCAs

County assembly members have complained that a woman has been trying to extort money from them.

According to the MCAs, the woman, disguising herself as the county’s director of education, has sent short text messages to more than 15 male MCAs, asking them to send her ‘lunch’.

Deputy Speaker Erick Agola raised the matter during the Tuesday afternoon session after receiving a series of text messages and calls from the same number.

He said the woman, who identified herself as Gladys, had been calling him since last week and had made the last call shortly before the session.

“On Monday, I received a text message and a call from a woman who identified herself as the county director of education. She has been sending me text messages and even calling me to follow up on her request,” said Mr Agola.

Extorting money

“I want to warn members that there is a con woman out there trying to extort money from us,” said Agola.  Several other MCAs, including the majority leader, Kenneth Onyango, and Ahero MCA Ken Ooko, confirmed that they had received similar text messages from the woman.

A text message seen by The Standard read: “Good afternoon, Mheshimiwa. I am Gladys, the county director of education, send me lunch.”

“We are wondering how the person got our numbers and how many people have sent the ‘lunch’ she is asking for,” said Mr Onyango.

Kisumu Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Geoffrey Kathurima said the MCAs had yet to report their complaints to the police.

“They should record a statement with us so that we can investigate the allegations,” he said. An impostor recently conned several MPs in Nairobi of thousands of shillings.