The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismissed reports linking Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo’s office to a high-profile fraud case involving seven suspects arrested at Harambee House, terming the claims misleading and sensational.
A report published by The Standard had alleged that two of the suspects were employees in Dr. Omollo’s office, while two others were aides to Senator Allan Chesang. The suspects were accused of defrauding two foreign nationals, Talal Yousef Yousef Zaitoun and his brother Hatem Youssef Yousef Zaitoun, representatives of Swedish firm Jokara AB, in a fictitious tender deal for the supply of 500 Toyota Hiace High Roof ambulances.
In a statement issued on March 20, 2026, the DCI clarified that none of the suspects were government officials or employees of the Ministry of Interior. The agency stated that the individuals were external fraudsters who exploited Harambee House to stage an elaborate scam targeting foreign investors.
According to the DCI, detectives acting on credible intelligence arrested the seven suspects on March 10, 2026, after they illegally accessed a boardroom on the 12th floor of Harambee House. The group had allegedly been posing as senior officials from key government institutions, including the Ministry of Interior, the National Treasury, and the Ministry of Health.
Investigations revealed that the fraudulent scheme began on January 10, 2026, when one of the victims, Talal Zaitoun, received an unsolicited WhatsApp message from a suspect identified as Stanley Ndawula. Ndawula allegedly requested a company catalogue before introducing the victim to another suspect, Geoffrey Were, who posed as a consultant affiliated with a firm known as Interleg Corporate.
On January 26, 2026, the victims travelled to Kenya and were received at the airport by the suspects, who escorted them to Harambee House. A female accomplice reportedly facilitated their unauthorized entry past security checkpoints. Inside, the victims were taken to a conference room on the fifth floor, where they met individuals impersonating officials from the National Treasury and the Ministry of Health. The fraudsters presented forged documents, including a fake pre-qualification certificate purportedly signed by senior government officials.
The suspects offered two business packages—Ksh.11.5 million (USD 90,000) for a single five-year opportunity or Ksh.14.1 million (USD 110,000) for multiple opportunities. The victims opted for the latter and transferred USD 110,000 on January 30, 2026, through a sister company in China to an account held by Conrad Law Advocates LLP at Ecobank Kenya. On February 11, 2026, they made an additional transfer of Ksh.46.4 million under the pretext of insurance, bringing the total amount lost to Ksh.60.6 million. The suspects later demanded a further Ksh.139 million, prompting the victims to return to Kenya, where the arrests were made.
Those arrested were identified as Geoffrey Were Odondi, Michael Musyoki Ngumbi, Kororia Simatwa, Evans Simotwo, Allan Muthaiga Kariuki, and Munialo Jared Masinde. A seventh suspect, Purity Njeri, a former employee of the Ministry of Public Service who was later transferred to the Treasury, was accused of facilitating unauthorized access to the building. Contrary to earlier media reports, the DCI confirmed that Njeri was not attached to PS Omollo’s office.
The suspects were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on March 16, 2026, where they faced multiple charges, including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences, acquisition of proceeds of crime, and forgery. They pleaded not guilty and were released on a bond of Ksh.3 million each or an alternative cash bail of Ksh.300,000, with two sureties required. Their passports were surrendered to the court.
The DCI reiterated that PS Raymond Omollo and his office were not in any way connected to the fraudulent activities, emphasizing that the Ministry of Interior continues to cooperate fully with investigators to ensure the perpetrators face justice. The case is scheduled for mention on April 1, 2026, for pre-trial direction.
