Detectives in Kitui Central have arrested four suspects accused of conning a businessman out of Sh105,000 through a fraudulent Kenya Prisons Service tender scheme.
According to police, the group allegedly posed as senior Kenya Prisons officers and convinced the victim that he had secured a contract to supply vegetables to Kitui GK Prisons.
The businessman reportedly sent the money as part of what he believed were legitimate processing fees.
The suspects — Clement Wachira, Andrew Kimani, Ann Waweru, and Rehema Makandi — were arrested inside a black Toyota Harrier, registration KCV 543W, after detectives trailed them for several weeks following complaints of similar scams.
A search of the vehicle uncovered 37 forged Kenya Prisons Service tender approval forms, two fake staff identification cards, eight mobile phones, and six ID cards belonging to different individuals.
Investigators described the items as evidence of a well-coordinated fraud operation.
The four are being held in custody and are expected to face charges once investigations are completed.
Detectives say they are also working to establish whether more members of the public may have fallen victim to the scheme.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has urged anyone with information on similar scams to report anonymously via the toll-free hotline 0800 722 203 or WhatsApp 0709 570 000.