Senior Nakuru county official linked to jobs scam, probe report out today

Ms Nyakango said the official took advantage of their family friendship to rope her in the jobs scam and her pursuit for refund has hit a brick wall.

“She was not a stranger, and as friends, we shared meals and discussed business and family affairs. The employment idea, although strange, never raised any eyebrows,” she said.

According to the complainant, Pkemei alleged the money was to be shared with two other senior county officials.

“She said the money was to be shared out so that my daughter would get employed and put on a salary of Sh100,000,” said Nyakango.

“The administrator was aware my daughter had graduated and was at home. First, she demanded Sh500,000 and promised to deliver employment letter or refund the money in case of an obstacle,” said the victim.

In text message exchanges with Nyakango, Pkemei assured the business lady that she would refund her money immediately they get another candidate to replace her daughter given that she had become impatient.

“I am looking for a replacement because your daughter is in the list, she did the interview. Immediately I find one, you will get your money, don’t worry,” reads the message.

And when Nyakango persisted in her efforts to get her money back and threatened to take up the matter with Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, Pkemei hit back telling her she does not manufacture money.

“I thought you wanted the issue to be handled by the governor. I am waiting and, for your information, I don’t also manufacture money,” Pkemei said in text message to Nyakango.

Pkemei declined to comment on the allegations when The Standard team visited her office at Kampi ya Moto.

She also failed to respond to our text messages but instead sent a letter through Maurice Okumu of M.J Okumu and Associates Advocates alleging harassment by journalists.

“Your employee has visited my client’s office and the said employee’s behaviour was meant to intimidate, harass and force our client to respond to questions related to matters that our client had and continues to have no knowledge of,” read the letter by Okumu.

In our investigations, we found out that Eric Ogada, Pkemei’s colleague working with the Ministry of Lands as an administrator, attempted to convince the businesswoman not to make the matter public as they were in the process of refunding her money.

In a recorded telephone conversation, Ogada is heard telling the businesswoman to be patient as they look for funds to refund her.

“You will get your money in the next three days. We have secured somebody to refund it and you should stop pursuing that woman,” he pleaded in a recorded conversation.

Ogada said he was involved in the issue as a friend to the husband of Nyakango who had requested to broker a deal on the matter.

“I came in as a good Samaritan to help sort the matter,” he said when he visited The Standard office in Nakuru.

The county assembly ad hoc committee looking into the employment scam will today table its findings, which have recommended the sacking of four senior county officers and 109 individuals employed illegally.

The report says job seekers paid between Sh200,000 and Sh400,000 to get jobs.

A review of the county payroll done between January and November last year showed huge discrepancies in salaries from month to month.

The substantial variations of the payroll implied the executive recruited additional staff without a budget, knowledge and approval of the county assembly.

The woman has not reported the matter to EACC or police due to pressure from senior officials who claim they are looking for the money to refund her.