'Untouchable' Jepchirchir kicked out of Senate amid probe on botched jobs saga

First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency Managing Director Judy Jepchirchir smiles after being ejected from the Senate Labour committee on petition concerning jobs recruitment saga. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Director of the controversial First Choice Recruitment Agency, Judy Jepchirchir, was kicked out of the Senate Labour Committee after she declined to apologise over her letter accusing Parliament of being biased.

Jepchirchir who is accused of fraudulently acquiring millions of shillings from thousands of youth from Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia and Nakuru counties had been summoned to appear before the committee after failing to do so on several occasions.

In the letter by her advocate, Henry Kenei, she had accused the committee of favouring petitioners and making unflattering remarks that portrayed her in a negative manner before the public.

“We are not going to withdraw the letter sent to the committee raising concerns over what my client sees as favouring the petitioners instead of listening to both sides, by making that decision we will be implying that it was written without due diligence,” said Kenei.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei demanded for disbandment of the National Employment Authority for allowing First Choice agency to continue carrying out its activities despite having an expired licence which he termed the highest exhibit of impunity.

Mr Cherargei accused the Authority of facilitating activities of an agency accused of defrauding thousands of innocent youth and had failed to return the money to the victims despite persistent pleas by various stakeholders.

“We would like to know why this lady has not been arrested to date and her agency licence cancelled. We would like to know why nothing is being done to help the youth who lost millions of shillings get back their money and those responsible made to face the law,” said Cherargei.

Nominated Senator Miraj Abdillahi said the affected families required justice and nobody should lie to Kenyans that the culprits are untouchable and that everything is being done to ensure the culprits face the law.

Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi said the most important message the victims would like to hear at the moment is when they will get back their money since most of them had to sell land and other properties with the hope of better prospects which have not materialised to date.

Keiyo South MP Gideon Kimaiyo said he was also a victim of the agency owned by Jepchirchir as he had paid money for some of his relatives who never went to Dubai as promised. “I would like to inform this committee that there are more than 70 victims from my constituency who lost their money to the First Choice Recruitment scandal, I have tried all ways and means to ensure they get back their money but Jepchirchir has been adamant that she will not pay back,” said Kimaiyo.

Kimaiyo, who appeared as a friend of the committee, accused Jepchirchir of operating a pyramid scheme using certain politicians and government officials to sanitise her operations and ended up defrauding innocent youth.

Human rights activist Kimutai Kirui, who is the victims’ lead petitioner told the committee there were 1,024 victims of the agency whom they have verified and are in the process of verifying reports by another 1,000 youth.