By Our Correspondent
Senior government officers, including chiefs and immigration staff, are among 26 people arrested in a major crackdown targeting the unlawful and unprocedural acquisition of vital government documents. Detectives say the network irregularly issued National Identity Cards, passports, birth certificates and foreigner/alien ID cards.
The arrests come at a time when Kenya has seen an influx of undocumented migrants from Somalia, Ethiopia and Burundi. Security agencies say the rise is linked to lawlessness, political instability and civil strife in parts of the region, which has pushed people to move across borders in search of safety and economic opportunities. Investigators believe such criminal networks make it easier for some of these migrants to obtain Kenyan documents fraudulently.
The two-day operation netted officers from the National Registration Bureau, the Directorate of Immigration, several chiefs, financiers and middlemen accused of running shortcuts that compromised the country’s registration systems.
According to investigators, the ring relied on collusion within government offices. Civil servants allegedly bypassed required procedures, using their access to fast-track the issuance of sensitive documents. Detectives say this weakened national security and enabled undocumented individuals to slip through the system unnoticed.
During the raid, officers recovered filled and blank ID application forms, fingerprint-taking tools, birth and death certificates, passports, official government stamps and other registration materials believed to have been removed illegally from authorised offices.
The suspects include: Judy Kemunto Ondari, Registrar of Persons office, Embakasi; Moses Mugoya Margaret, Clerk at the Registrar of Persons Head Office; Ruth Osebe Sukuru, Registrar of Persons office, Kamukunji; Jawahir Mohamed Muse, Assistant Chief, Eastleigh North; Moulid Yusuf Dige, Businessman; Mohamed Issack Gedow, Assistant Chief, Eastleigh; Abdirizak Osman Rage, Freelance middleman; Alfred Opia Ayaway, Freelance middleman; Abdirizak Abdi, Electronics technician; Abdirashid Mohamed Ali, Clerk at Shima Group International; Festus Bahati Chai, Fingerprints Technician, Registrar of Persons Head Office; Abdirizack Bashir Farah, Freelance middleman; Samatar Osman Robne, Businessman; Fuadh Bulle Mohamed, Businessman; Geoffrey Mokoro Mutanya, Clerk at Immigration Head Office; Joseph Mwendwa Munyithia, Registrar of Persons office, Kariokor; AbdiKadir Mohamed Dahir, Businessman; Berrick Kororia Maghas Sukuru, Registrar of Persons office, Kamukunji; David Korir, Clerk at Registrar of Persons Head Office; Titus Mwanga Nthenge, Senior Subordinate Staff, Registrar of Persons Head Office; Yahya Daud Manor; Issack Abdow Mohammed; Nelson Katana Kazungu; Daniel Munywoki Kavuwa; Abdullahi Abdi Khamisi; and Abdirahman Roba Guyo.
All remain in custody as multi-agency teams process them ahead of arraignment.
“This operation underscores the unwavering commitment of law enforcement agencies to safeguard the integrity of government systems and hold accountable all those who exploit them for personal gain,” the DCI said in a statement.
Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests have not been ruled out.