The Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs confirmed the arrest of several senior officials in the ministry.
Authorities have arrested former NTV news anchor Salim Swaleh, Director of Press at the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, for his involvement in a complex fraud scheme at Musalia Mudavadi’s office.
Peter Warutere, Secretary of Strategic Communications at Mudavadi’s office, issued a press release stating that the officials allegedly assisted fraudsters who have been conning foreigners at the PCS’s office.
“Following a tipoff, OPCS-MFDA security mounted intense surveillance at the OPCS-MFDA Railways Office to disrupt the reported nefarious acts of impersonation and abuse of the facility by the fraudsters,” the statement reads.
The office of the Prime CS reported that surveillance conducted on Saturday led to the arrests.
The group’s victims were mostly foreigners who were misled into the Railways Building under the pretense of meeting high-ranking government officials in exchange for favors and bribes.
Impersonating VIP Guests
Investigations revealed that a group posing as visitors gained individual access to the Railways Building on various dates and times by impersonating VIP guests or government officers, as well as the officers they claimed to be visiting.
“Those arrested had perfected “renting” office space to alleged criminals by either vacating their offices for the alleged fraudsters’ use or deceptively misrepresenting themselves,” added the statement.
“This deception also meant switching legitimate name tags with fake ones on office doors to advance the scams.”
Detectives reported that the suspects attempted to bribe their way out shortly after their arrest.
“Upon being smoked out in one of the OPCS-MFDA Railway offices where the confidence tricksters had settled in wait for their victims on Saturday, the group had the audacity of attempting to bribe their way out,” the statement read.
The office of the Prime CS added that relevant law enforcement agencies are continuing investigations to track and arrest others who may have been involved.
In response, the office of the Prime CS has directed government institutions to vet and remove any disreputable officers aiding criminal activities.
“As a deterrent, government institutions are hereby cautioned to vet and oust disreputable government officers abetting such criminal activity, which appears pervasive due to lax security in government institutions and a growing appetite for quick money by public officers,” the OPCS said.
