The government has cautioned Lugari residents against falling prey to
fraudsters targeting vulnerable families and students with fake
bursaries and scholarships.
Lugari Deputy County Commissioner Moses Gicharu told the press the
scholarship scam has been going on for the last three years targeting
desperate parents in Mautuma and Marakusi location with non-existent
scholarships in Bungoma County.
He revealed that they got wind of the ongoing fraud recently through various
public forums after parents fleeced of money started complaining that
their children are back home with huge school fees balances despite
the full scholarship promise.
The administrator estimated that over 50 parents have fallen victim to
the fraud although only a negligible number has come out to complain.
He said: “We have received several complaints especially from Mautuma
and Marakusi location of conmen swindling money from vulnerable
parents in pretence of securing scholarships for their children in
a number of schools in Bungoma County.
“The parents are duped to pay Sh5000 for application and then later
pay Sh7000 when the student is reporting to school. This is total
fraud.” said Gicharu.
“Recently the County Government and the National Constituency
Development Fund have issued out bursaries and there was nowhere
parents were required to pay for application, “he added.
Gicharu urged the general public particularly the affected parents and
students to make official complaints at the Directorate of Criminal
Investigation (DCI) offices for action to be taken.
“We have decided as the Sub County Security committee to open up a
case-file at the DCI office in Lumakanda to enable us track down the
culprits.
We want all those who were duped to visit the office and make a
formal report so that we can deal with the criminal syndicate.
We want this to be a lesson to the cartel and a deterrent to those
with such intentions in future,” he said noting that they don’t want to
hear of such cases again next year when form ones who are the main
target will be joining secondary school.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
