Youths nabbed with fake Kenya Defence Forces recruitment letters

Uasin-Gishu, Kenya: Thirty eight youths have been arrested for trying to present fake calling letters and using fake academic credentials to gain employment at the Kenya Defence Forces.

The recruits were arrested on Sunday evening when they reported to the Recruits Training School (RTS) in Eldoret and presented the improper documents. A further 11 recruits were nabbed on Monday morning during a final vetting exercise.

Confirming the incident, Eldoret West OCPD Smollets Munyianzi said the 38 suspects were held at Soy station while the other 11 were taken to Eldoret Police Station due to congestion.

"One recruit was found with two identical certificates while another was apprehended for being at the military institution illegally neither as a recruit or an employee," the OCPD said.

Mr Munyianzi said they have commenced investigations together with military police to ascertain how the recruits made it to RTS without following due process.

"There is a possibility that some senior officers could have been involved in the illegality and we are pursuing good leads to ensure those behind it are prosecuted," he said.

VIOLATED RIGHTS

Twenty of the the arrested youths were on Tuesday arraigned before Senior Principal Magistrate Samuel Mokua at the Eldoret Law Courts charged with presenting forged calling letters with intent to deceive the Ministry of Defence.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution said by forging the documents, the individuals had attempted to deceive the authority of a sensitive ministry and asked that justice be served to be seen as remedying the image of the undermined institution.

Defence told the court that the rights of the accused persons had been violated since they were detained for 24 hours before being brought to court which is against the law.

"My clients' rights have been violated and I need an explanation before the matter proceeds. They were arrested on Sunday and were not brought to court yesterday which was a working day," said Eliab Melly counsel for the accused.

The prosecution however distanced itself from the violation referring the matter to the investigating officers, seeking their explanation on why the accused persons were not brought to court within the stipulated time.

The magistrate ordered Soy Police Station OCS to appear before the court and explain the violation concern raised by Mr Melly.

Mr Mokua then released all the suspects on a bond of Sh50,000, each, with surety amount of the same or alternatively a cash bail of Sh20,000 per person.

The matter is to be heard today for issuance of further directions.