By Our Crime Reporter
A police officer attached to the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU) in Nakuru Town East sub-County has been arrested for allegedly obtaining money by false pretense in a fake police recruitment scheme.
The officer is accused of receiving Sh800,000 from a complainant after falsely claiming he could facilitate the recruitment of the complainant’s daughter into the National Police Service.
According to a report filed at Nakuru Central Police Station, the arrest was made on Thursday evening following investigations into a complaint that was first reported on December 9, 2025.
Police said the officer, working with accomplices who are still at large, allegedly received the money on November 17, 2025. Investigators say the cash was taken on the promise that the suspect would use his connections to influence the recruitment process.
After receiving the money, the suspects allegedly became unreachable, prompting the complainant to report the matter to police.
A police officer involved in the investigations, who sought anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly, said the arrest forms part of a broader crackdown on recruitment-related corruption within the service.
“We are treating this as a serious abuse of office. Investigations are ongoing, and we are pursuing other officers suspected to be involved in similar schemes. Our seniors are also involved in this racket,” the officer said.
Recruitment into the police, military, Kenya Prisons Service and the National Youth Service (NYS) has repeatedly attracted allegations of bribery and influence peddling, despite official assurances that the exercise is free, fair and merit-based.
Over the years, security agencies have arrested both civilians and serving officers accused of defrauding families by promising recruitment slots in exchange for bribes, often targeting parents eager to secure employment opportunities for their children.
Authorities have consistently warned members of the public that no money is required for recruitment into any uniformed service and have urged applicants to report any cases of solicitation.
The suspect will be arraigned once investigations are complete, as detectives continue to trace the remaining suspects, among them senior County Government of Nakuru officials who connected the unsuspecting victims with the police officers.