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Fake Ministry Officials Charged in Massive Ksh 60M International Tender Sting
During the time of the arrest, they were conducting a meeting with Talal Yousef Yousef Zaitoun, the complainant who was tricked into being awarded a tender to supply 500 high-roof diesel Toyota Hiace ambulances.
Eight fraudsters alleged to have conned a foreigner of Ksh 60.9 million in the guise of awarding a tender to supply ambulances have been charged at a Nairobi court.
The accused, who have been detained in custody for seven days under a miscellaneous application, appeared before the Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Teresia Nyangena and were charged with five counts of conspiracy to defraud, forgery and obtaining money by pretence.
The court heard that the accused persons, some of whom posed as senior government officials with the authority to convene meetings and enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the government with foreign investors and businesspersons, were arrested on March 10, 2026, at Harambee House.
During the time of the arrest, they were conducting a meeting with Talal Yousef Yousef Zaitoun, the complainant who was tricked into being awarded a tender to supply 500 high-roof diesel Toyota Hiace ambulances.
Michael Musyoki Ngumbi, Evans Simotwo, Geofrey Were Odondi, Allan Mutahi Kariuki, Purity Njeri Njamiu, Kuroria Muniaro, Jared Masinde Simatwa and Rose Mbuthia denied the charges levelled against them by the prosecution.
They were charged that, on January 10 and February 23, 2026, in Nairobi county, jointly with others who were not before the court, conspired to defraud Yousef Zaitoun USD 470,750, equivalent to Ksh 60,964,479, by pretending to be in a position to assist him in securing a Kenyan Government contract to supply the said ambulances.
In the second count, they were charged with obtaining the said money from the said Swedish national through Lianyungang Chanta International Wood Company Limited.
Ngumbi and Odondi were further charged separately with offences of forgery and acquisition of proceeds of crime, respectively.
On January 30, 2026, at an unknown place within the country, Ngumbi forged a contractual agreement between the Ministry of Interior and National Administration and Jokara AB for the supply of 500 right-hand drive roof Diesel Toyota Hiace ambulances, a contract which was undated by purporting to be a genuine contract issued by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.
He was also charged with forging a letter of notification award reference MINA/JKR/AMB/1/26 for the supply and delivery of the said ambulances.
Odondi was also charged with acquiring a sum of Ksh 60,964,479 through an Equity Bank account in the name of Damira Multiactivities, while he knew the funds formed part of the proceeds of crime.
Through their defence lawyers, they applied to be released on lenient bond terms, citing that bond is a constitutional right of the accused persons as per Article 49 of the Constitution.
They were granted a bond of Ksh 5 million with an alternative cash bail of Ksh 300,000.
The matter will be mentioned on April 1, 2026, for pre-trial and directions.
