The suspect had intentions to dupe victims with misleading information

The suspect had intentions to dupe victims with misleading information

A guy was detained by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives for impersonating one of the anti-graft watchdog’s investigators and requesting a bribe from a civilian. Ibrahim Ngamau Wangari was apprehended on Friday evening at Quiver’s Lounge on Thika Road after EACC detectives set him up as he sought a bribe from his would-be victim, who had already reported the suspect’s approaches to the corruption whistleblower.

According to a source close to the EACC, the suspect tried to dupe his victim into thinking he was investigating a case concerning the ‘irregular’ supply of subsidized maize flour in which the complaint was referenced negatively, claiming that he could make the matter ‘disappear’ for a fee. Before the August 2022 General Election, the government hired the miller who filed the complaint to offer subsidized corn flour. According to the source, “Ngamau started calling the complaint on November 21, 2022, notifying him that he was looking into the Ministry of Agriculture’s provision of subsidized maize flour.

He assured the complaint that in exchange for an agreed-upon sum of money, Ngamau would help the complainant obtain any outstanding payments from the Ministry of Agriculture in addition to making sure there would be no bad findings affecting the complainant. After coming in contact on the specified day, the suspect gave the victim the instruction to meet him on November 25, 2022, at the EACC’s headquarters in Nairobi to record a statement before unexpectedly switching the location to Quiver’s Lounge.

A tax compliance certificate, audit reports, and bank account statements from January 2022 were among the papers the complainant was instructed to bring with him for inspection. The source continued, “The Complainant gathered the “necessary” paperwork and, as he was about to arrive at Integrity Centre, the Suspect contacted and changed the location to Quivers Lounge, which he described as convenient for their discussion of how the Suspect would help the Complainant.

“They were to discuss the compensation the complaint would pay to be shielded from inquiries and given help in obtaining payment from the Ministry of Agriculture. The complainant had already reported the incident to EACC, which the suspect was unaware of.”

Before being taken to the EACC’s integrity center police station for questioning, Ngamau was detained as he waited for his intended victim at the Thika Road joint. Later, he was transferred to the Kilimani Police Station, where he is being held in custody while legal proceedings are ongoing. Should he be found guilty, Ngamau faces a fine of no more than Sh300,000 or a sentence of no more than three years in prison, or both.