DCI Reveal How Nairobi College Conned Students Up To Ksh70 Million

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has announced that it has launched investigations into Branka International College located along Mfangano Road, Hakati House in Nairobi.

DCI in a statement to members of the public on Tuesday, October 17 revealed that the probe was prompted by numerous complaints by the institution's alumni who are crying foul.

The sleuths uncovered how the institution carried out fraudulent activities under the blanket of not being a registered training institution.

"In the suspected case of Obtaining Money by False Pretense, a complaint of fraudulent activity against the institution was made at the DCI Nairobi Regional offices on September 2023 and investigations commenced.

A logo of Branka International College. /DCI

"It has since been established that the college whose operations kicked off in 2021 is not registered as a training institution, and the proprietors only made several unsuccessful attempts to register it through online Technical and Vocational Education and Training Management Information System (TVET MIS) application portal recently after getting wind of the ongoing investigations," stated the DCI in part.

The investigative body went on to reveal that further investigations indicated that the college is only registered as an unspecified business, the nature of it being an institution/polytechnic/college as per the records held in the Business Registration Service (BRS) database.

DCI further shared a case study of how innocent students were swindled into applying for courses at the institution which promised them jobs abroad upon graduation.

"Oblivious of the murkiness that lay ahead, numerous unsuspecting students went ahead to enrol for courses at the college, which guaranteed them job placements in the USA, Europe and Australia.

"The institution which charges school fees to a tune of Ksh350,000 per student only runs the course for one week and upon completion, the students are subjected to a perpetual waiting mode while others are dropped with reasons of not meeting the minimum requirements," added the DCI.

In a classic case of modern-day fraudulence, DCI discovered to their surprise that no refunds are made. An estimated sum of Ksh70 million defrauded from victims is in question.

In a bid to intimidate victims who are since demanding refunds or the agreed upon jobs abroad, the main suspect Teresia Mumbi Kamau and her accomplice Thaitu Ng'ang'a & Associate (an advocate), were exposed by the DCI as having threatened the victims with legal suits.

In the ongoing preliminary stages of investigations, the investigating team requested Teresia Mumbi to avail the relevant licenses and documents including an accreditation certificate from TVET and proof of partnership, agreement or contracts with USA, Europe and Australia.

However, in non-compliance, she filed for anticipatory bond application in a High Court. She has further avoided the institution's premises since.

"With similar complaints having been reported at Nairobi Central and Kamukunji Police Stations, we call upon any other member of the public that has fallen victim to this fraudulence to report to the office of DCI Regional Headquarters Nairobi," appealed the DCI.

The sleuths further cautioned students enrolling for courses in various tertiary-level institutions to be wary of the existence of such fraudulence.

DCI promised that the expeditious conclusion of this case would be pursued in a deliberate effort to deliver justice to both parties.

A quick search by Viral Tea on the institution's website reveals that Branka International College prides itself as a diverse and global institution with a global mandate to build occupational capacity worldwide.

"Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the institution has a broad network in several countries globally to offer learners the opportunities presented by the partnerships.