Tricks Man Used To Impersonate Supreme Court Judge & Con Kenyans With Fake Jobs

A man was on Friday, December 15 arraigned before a Senior Resident's Magistrate's Court at Kiambu Law Courts by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers on allegations of impersonating Justice William Ouko, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya.

The Judiciary, via its Directorate of Public Affairs and Communication, stated that the man had assumed the identity of the judge hailing from the apex court to obtain money from unsuspecting members of the public by false pretence.

The man was arrested on December 8, 2023, in Migori County and presented before the Court on December 11, 2023.

The DCI asked for, and the court granted them three days to complete their investigation hence his appearance on Friday.

Hon. Lady Justice Njoki Ndung’u and Hon Justice William Ouko hearing petitions at the Supreme Court on August 31, 2022. /JUDICIARY

"According to court papers, on 24th November 2023, Justice William Ouko, Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya received information that a mobile number purporting to be his mobile number was being used to defraud members of the public on the pretext that he could influence public employments.

"Using Justice Ouko's name he also solicited and received money from unsuspecting victims. The Judge made a report to the police and upon recording a statement, investigations commenced," the Judiciary stated in part.

Court papers further read that DCI investigators also received intelligence from the local police and residents of the Awendo area that there were complaints from members of the public against the impostor.

The investigators had since established that five people located in various parts of the country had fallen victim to such fraud hence the need to trace, interview and record the statements of the said victims.

Investigations, according to one DCI officer's affidavit, also indicated that the suspect has residences in the counties of Nairobi, Kakamega and Migori, from where he is suspected to be operating his fraudulent activities.

Police sought court orders to enable them to search the residences to recover any exhibit that may be relevant to the ongoing investigations.

Among the documents filed in court and set to be presented as evidence were letters purported to be from a cross-section of institutions offering various people employment which supposedly the impostor used the name of the Judge of the Supreme Court to secure.

Following an application, the Court gave an order that the impostor be detained in the custody of the DCI for a final period of 3 days from today to allow them to conclude their investigations and also transport him to Kisumu where most of the crimes he allegedly committed happened.

The Court consequently directed the DCI to arraign him at Kisumu Law Courts on December 19, 2023.

"As the matter takes its course in court, members of the public are informed that as a matter of principle and ethics, Judges would not seek such favours.

"Members of the public who may be approached by such conmen in the name of a judge should verify with the Office of the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary any information or request purported to emanate from a Judge. Further, the public is cautioned to be very vigilant and wary if people invoke the name of judges, judicial officers and staff to obtain any favours be it employment, money, tenders, supplies and others to guard against falling victim to impersonators and fraudsters," advised the Judiciary to members of the public.

The Judiciary reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the highest standards of ethics, executing its mandate with openness and transparency and upholding the rule of law and the Constitution.