By Dorothy Musyoka
Detectives from the Nairobi Regional Headquarters have successfully apprehended and arraigned two individuals accused of orchestrating a fraudulent edible oil scheme that swindled five businessmen out of Sh22.4 million.
According to the detectives, the suspects, Teresia Wanjiku Boru and Hosea Munge Mbugu, allegedly tricked their victims into investing in a non-existent World Food Program (WFP) supply tender for edible oil, purportedly destined for Kakuma Refugee Camp.
The con unfolded in January 2024, when Hosea Munge approached a group of businessmen operating at City Market, Nairobi, with a lucrative business proposal.
“The intricate con unfolded in January 2024, when Hosea Munge lured the unsuspecting businessmen operating in city Market with an irresistible business proposition. He claimed that Teresia Wanjiku had secured a lucrative tender with the World Food Program to supply edible oil to Kakuma Refugee Camp. With promises of immense profits, Munge persuaded the victims to invest their hard-earned money into the fake venture,” explained the DCI.
In efforts to make the scheme appear legitimate, the fraudsters took the businessmen to Eldoret, where they introduced them to two individuals posing as WFP officials.
The victims signed a fake agreement and transferred large sums of money to the suspects, only for them to disappear without delivering the promised returns.
Following an intensive forensic-led investigation, DCI officers tracked down and arrested the suspects Teresia Wanjiku in Narumoru and Hosea Munge in Nairobi.
The suspects were arraigned in court where Teresia Wanjiku, was denied bond due to an outstanding warrant of arrest for failing to appear in a previous case.
Her accomplice, Hosea Munge was granted bond of Sh900,000, with an alternative cash bail option of Sh400,000.
However, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) urged any other individuals who may have fallen victim to these fraudsters to report.