State House Officials Caught up in Fake Laptop Tender Scam

Officials working at State House as well as Deputy President William Ruto's office have been implicated in a fake tender scam where several unsuspecting Kenyans have lost millions of shillings. 

Daily Nation reports that a group with links to rogue State House and Ruto's employees lure rich businesspeople with fake restricted tenders mainly involving supply of laptops.

To win the trust of potential bidders, the fraudsters, in collusion with State House officers, take victims to government offices, occupy the offices for some time while impersonating senior State officials.

The conmen allegedly use fake job identification cards, local purchase orders (LPO) and delivery notes, complete with letterheads and stamps.

Charles Gathii Ng’ang’a, a victim of the scheme, says he lost Sh240 million after being issued with a contract to supply laptops to State House and the Department of Defence between January and September.

The tender was awarded by Fredrick Muhanji Mangala alias Douglas Simiyu who masqueraded as a National Intelligence Service (NIS) officer based in Nairobi.

The businessman says he was to supply 1,200 HP laptops, which Muhanji claimed were required at State House for a security project.

The victim says he was taken to an office at State House and later to another office at President Uhuru's Harambee House Annex, which he was told belongs to the presidential delivery unit.

Gathii says Simiyu took him to the two premises without any security checks at the entrance. This is despite both facilities being highly guarded by armed security officers and the fact that only authorized persons are allowed in. 

At Harambee House, Gathii signed a non-disclosure agreement and was issued with the LPO by an official, erasing any suspicion the tender could be fake.

"After they delivered the goods, they came back with delivery notes, which had State House letterheads and stamps pending payment. You cannot doubt the deal," Gathii says in a police report.

It was after the payments delayed for months that Gathii discovered that he had been conned.

Last week, Fredrick Muhanji Mangala alias Douglas Simiyu was arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and was charged with obtaining money under false pretences.

"Fredrick Muhanji Mangala alias Douglas Simiyu~a man who personates to be a National Intelligence Service Officer & the Master Planner of the Fake Tender to supply Laptops to State House was arrested in Kakamega. His co-accused already charged before Court," DCI said in a tweet.

His accomplices including Eric Otieno Atanga,  David Mapili, Jackson Kiharo, George Ochieng Onyango and Mercy Wahiga Wanjiku were also arrested and charged few weeks ago.