Cooperative society reports alleged fake returns to DCI

Members of the Drumvale Farmers Cooperative Society in Machakos County want authorities to investigate and arrest suspected fraudsters for illegally filing the society's returns with the Commissioner of Cooperatives.

Led by their chairman, Felix Maingi said individuals claiming to represent the organisation presented what he described as fake return documents at the Commissioner’s office in Nairobi.

Maingi said the commissioner's office alerted the society after officials raised concerns about the identity of the individuals who presented the documents.

“We learnt that certain individuals purporting to be officials of the society presented some fake ‘returns’ documents to the Commissioner,” Maingi said.

He said the commissioner’s office immediately contacted the society after becoming suspicious of the documents and the people who had submitted them.

The matter has since been reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), with the society calling for investigations and action against those responsible.

The alleged filing of the documents comes amid a broader dispute within the society, with members also raising concerns over the security of their farms and access to the organisation’s records.

Maingi appealed to security agencies to intervene over what the society described as the presence of hired groups on members’ farms.

He claimed armed individuals had invaded unsettled farms belonging to members and were preventing them from taking possession of or settling on their properties.

“The armed goons are invading unsettled farms belonging to members and preventing them from settling,” Maingi said.

The chairman called on security agencies to restore order and protect members and their property.

“I thought goons were meant for politics but now we are perturbed how they are infiltrating our farms,” he said.