Fifty-five KDF recruits who presented fake admission letters were arrested when they reported to the Kamagut recruits training school (RTS) in Eldoret.
The 55 were arrested soon after they reported to RTS bearing fake letters, which they were given by fraudsters.
Chief recruiting officer Brigadier Muteti confirmed the arrests and said the suspects had been handed over to the police.
As the successful recruits to the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) reported to RTS on the third day, desperate job-seekers who resorted to unorthodox means also attempted to report with their fake documents but their attempts proved futile after they were smoked out by hawk-eyed KDF officers.
One suspect showed up accompanied by 12 members of one family with fake calling documents despite not having undergone through the recruitment process used to select suitable recruits.
Joseph Onyancha, a preacher in Nairobi’s Rongai area claimed he was duped by a neighbor who connected him with a lady whose name he only identified as Susan who convinced him to find 12 young men and women below the age of 26 years to join the forces.
He said his relatives back home in Nyamira raised up to Sh3.5m to facilitate the ‘recruitment’ of the 12 potential candidates, and in turn, they were issued with calling letters to report to RTS.
It however, dawned on them that they had been duped into parting with such a large amount of money for worthless ‘calling letters’ as they stepped at RTS only to be placed under custody.
One other man from Navakholo in Kakamega said he sold a piece of his land to pay for his son to join KDF. He said he was duped by a broker, who was also arrested, who convinced him that it was near impossible to join KDF through the due process without parting with a bribe.
Brigadier Muteti said it was unfortunate that a large number of Kenyans continue to fall prey to conmen who defraud them promising to enroll their kin into KDF during recruitment exercises, adding that those found with fake letters would regrettably have to face the law.
The reporting exercise is expected to end on April 16 with over 3000 recruits expected to undergo a nine-month rigorous training.
By Kiptanui Cherono
