Imposter jailed for obtaining Sh1.2m in KDF jobs swindle

A man who pleaded guilty to obtaining Sh1.2 million by promising jobs in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Andrew Musungu Wangwe, who was posing as a KDF instructor, had also been charged with forging a military identity card.

He was sentenced on Wednesday, a few months after he was convicted on ten counts of obtaining money by false pretences between February 2018 and 18 June 2023.

Kakamega Senior Principal Magistrate Zachariah Nyakundi ruled that his pre-sentencing report was in favour of a custodial term.

The report indicated the 37-year-old was convicted of a similar offence at the Kiambu law courts and was fined Sh 800,000 with an option of a three-year jail term in May 10.

The prosecution said Wangwe approached Mary Abona and her husband, promised to recruit their grandson and later requested them to look for another interested woman.

Wangwe asked for Sh733,250 from Abona. He is also accused of obtaining Sh360,000 from Joyce Amukuti Mukubwa and Sh44,650 from Cleophas Omuchitsi.

The accused is also said to have taken photos of the job seekers using his mobile phone and asked their parents to take them to Eldoret for recruitment.

The accused asked for Sh11,000 for a medical checkup at the recruit training school's gate.