By Dorothy Musyoka
Maria Wangare Kamunge, alias Rish Kamunge, the Director of Trustpine Travel Agency, has been arraigned in court for allegedly orchestrating a fraudulent job placement scheme that defrauded Kenyans seeking employment in Mauritius.
Investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that Kamunge swindled 43 victims out of a total of Sh12.9 million, promising them lucrative jobs abroad.
The victims reportedly paid between Sh200,000 and Sh400,000 each for job placements that never materialized.
Some individuals who had already traveled to Mauritius were left stranded at the airport, with no assistance from the agency.
Deceived and without resources, they were eventually deported back to Kenya.
“Victims reported paying between Sh200,000 and Sh400,000 for job placements, only to discover that the promised opportunities were nonexistent,” the DCI reported.
“Some individuals even travelled to Mauritius, where they found themselves stranded at the airport without assistance and were ultimately deported back to Kenya,” the DCI added.
Kamunge appeared in court for custodial orders and was remanded at Capital Hill Police Station as investigations continue.
The case is set for mention today, March 28, 2025.
The DCI has urged any additional victims of this scam to come forward and report their cases at the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Authorities continue to warn job seekers to verify opportunities through official government channels before making any payments.