Detectives arrested a serial fraudster who has obtained millions of shillings from unsuspecting Kenyans and foreign nationals by posing as a senior procurement officer in various government ministries on Tuesday.
The fraudster identified as David Ambuku alias General forged tender documents and local purchase orders before convincing bidders and potential suppliers that he would award them with the lucrative contracts was retrieved from a water tank into which he had dived to evade arrest.
The suspect had conspired to defraud two merchants of Sh47.3 million using forged tender documents for Ministries of Interior and Labour.
Financial investigations raided Ambuku’s house at Kimathi Estate in Nairobi’s Eastlands early Tuesday.
Ambuku who is a director Kemoma Ventures and several other companies worked together with unscrupulous government officials in various ministries and state departments to access their offices and boardrooms where he conducts his fraudulent business.
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The suspect projected the image of a senior procurement manager capable of awarding and influencing issuance of lucrative.
Ambuku targeted innocent merchants who, in most cases are young ladies and foreign nationals looking out for investment opportunities.
He would then hoodwink them into believing he could canvas for tenders in their favour and provide them with his bogus local purchase orders to supply goods before scampering with their money.
One Chinese national lost Sh26 million to Ambuku’s fraudulent schemes after falling for the ruse that played as a procurement officer in the Ministry of Labour.
In another instance, the suspect posed as a senior military official at defence headquarters and obtained another Sh26 million from a potential investor.
Further investigations revealed Ambuku has over 10 pending cases in various courts in the country but has been evading arrest.
Ambuku will be arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Wednesday to take a plea.
He will be charged with obtaining money by false pretences and money laundering.
Police are calling upon any person who has fallen victim to Ambuku’s chicanery to report to the Economic Crimes Unit at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters or call the anonymous toll-free number 0800722203 and file a report.