Photo: Courtesy

By David Odongo

The rise of beautiful con women among the city’s upscale joints has reached an all time high.

 In the past year many prominent government officials, lawyers and businessmen have been lured into sex while others into hospitals parting with millions of shillings.

 A few months ago, a top government official had to part with a million to avoid embarrassment as the girl he was drinking with took his photos in compromising situation.

Mid last month, businessman Charles Kimani met Laura Webuye at a business cocktail party. Even though he is married, they exchanged contacts and two days later, they met in a upscale hotel in Hurlingham for drinks.

 “The evening went on well. She was laughing at my jokes and around 9:00pm her female friend joined us,” explains Kimani who did not know he was being trapped.

“After two glasses Laura stopped drinking citing a medical condition. I urged her to take one last glass for the road,” adds Kimani.

Laura obliged and ordered for two more glasses. “Suddenly she fell onto the table and started getting a seizure. Laura was shaking uncontrollably and foaming in the mouth. Her friend told me that she was suffering from an epileptic fit that they could lead to respiratory failure. Together with help from the hotel waiters, Kimani took her to a city hospital,” he explains.

Shocked by the turn of events Kimani offered any assistance he could to save Laura’s life.

“By that time her friend was hysterical claiming that Laura wasn’t even breathing. I was told to wait at the lobby as they took her in to see the doctors,” adds Kimani.

After few minutes a doctor emerged accompanying Laura’s friend and pulled him out in the parking. The doctor told him Laura was being resuscitated.

“The doctor pulled me aside and named some strange medical terms, saying Laura needed to be in the hospital for at least two days. I was drunk and I could barely understand what he was saying. Laura’s friend was in tears, holding me while crying and I was worried. He asked me to pay Sh73,000 cash. He said it would be cheaper than doing it officially through the hospital billing system,” says Kimani.

Kimani recalls how at that moment Laura’s friend immediately went into her purse and gave the doctor crisp Sh7,000 notes. She claimed that’s all she had and she asked Kimani to top up adding that Laura could pay him back when she gets out of danger.

“Feeling guilty for asking her to drink more and worse so being tipsy I withdrew Sh20,000 from an ATM and went into my pocket and added Sh38,000. The doctor was not happy with Sh58,000 and wouldn’t even allow me to see Laura. All this time, Laura’s pal was still crying and I dropped her at Nakumatt Prestige. We agreed to meet tomorrow in the morning to go see Laura,” narrates Kimani.

The next morning, Kimani, sober, tried calling Laura’s friend but her number wasn’t going through. He then went to the hospital and inquired about a patient who had been admitted the previous night. “I was told that there was no patient with the description I gave at the hospital. I then asked for Doctor Martin who had treated Laura but when doctor Martin came, it wasn’t the same guy I met yesterday”

It then dawned on Kimani that he had been set up all along. Pieces of the puzzle started falling into place. Laura had given him her business card. He practically knew nothing about her, part from that she owned a salon business.

“I wondered why Laura’s friend had asked me to drop her at a deserted Prestige late in the night.  I had even given her Sh2000 for cab but she didn’t tell me where she lived exactly. I think one hospital worker pretended to be a doctor, and I can now understand why Laura had a seizure deep in the night when the hospital was quiet.”

Kimani lost Sh60,000 to Laura.  “It feels stupid going to the cop with such a story. I can’t even remember much because I was drunk, but one thing is for sure, I fell into a con woman’s trap,” admits Kimani who has accepted and moved on.

Just like Kimani, a commissioner had to part with Sh2 million after girls entrapped him and took his pictures in a compromising situation. The high-flying advocate had been drinking in an exclusive Kilimani bar where he invited one of the girls. The young woman came with her friend who was even more beautiful and as drinks flowed, levels of lust also rose. The two girls agreed to share the lawyer for the night and the drunk man oblivious of their scheme, fell for their plan.

The next day, he parted with Sh2 million so the pictures and videos would not be shown in public to embarrass him. The man also has political ambitions and so did not report the matter to the police.

Another lawyer who is also leading a commission parted with Sh1million after a girl he was drinking with took their pictures in a compromising situation. The incident also took place at an affluent Kilimani club.

 And even government officials are not immune from the girls as one of them found out. After drinking one too many with a nubile beauty, the law professor had to part with a million shillings after the girl threatened to reveal their pictures in a compromising situation.