Robert Maina, ex-KDF officer implicated in fraud, freed on Ksh.30K bail

An ex-KDF serviceman has been freed on a Ksh.30,000 cash bail by a Kerugoya court after denying fraud charges.

The court heard that on diverse dates, Robert Murichu obtained Ksh.450,000 from Susan Wanjiku after promising her that he would get her three children recruited into the army.

He had received half the amount and was to receive his balance upon delivering letters of enrollment to the three would-be recruits; Winnie Wandia, Martin Kaihura and Douglas Ngari.

Mirichu who was axed from the army several years back was arrested after his victim started suspecting something was amiss, reporting the matter to the police.

The ex-service man would fall headfirst into a well-laid trap: he was found in possession of three forged enrollment letters, several mobile phones and stamps bearing different variations of his name.

Last week, the Department of Defense concluded the KDF recruitment exercise warning those involved in malpractices during the exercise that they would face the law.

Currently, 12 suspects are under probe for a slew of malpractices witnessed during the recruitment process.

The vice chief of defense forces Levi Mgalu said the twelve include civilians and military officers.

He said appropriate charges will be preferred on them upon the conclusion of a thorough investigation.

The DoD also defended notion that the exercise discriminated ladies saying that over the years, there has been a gradual intake of women with 2021’s recruitment seeing a 12% increase.

This year, 150 general service cadets,150 undergraduates, 3550 general duty and 150 defense constables were recruited.

The DoD further vowed that the verification of documents will be conducted during reporting at various training institutions to curb cheating.