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In a press release issued on Thursday, October 5 at night, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced that its Transnational Organized Crime detectives had conducted a raid on the Department of Immigration Services.
During the operation, they apprehended several individuals linked to a corruption scandal involving the issuance of passports.
In the ongoing operation, initiated on Monday, October 2, 2023, authorities have apprehended six Department of Immigration Services personnel, including an intern, as well as nine suspected brokers.
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A photo of Nyayo House in Nairobi
READ: 4 arrested at Nyayo House as probe into passport & immigration bribery starts
Additionally, efforts to locate more suspects who became aware of the operation and went into hiding are currently underway.
Following days of thorough forensic analysis and the profiling of individuals suspected to be involved, the investigative team executed a raid on the Department of Immigration Services on Monday, October 2.
During this operation, they apprehended five suspects for further questioning.
The apprehended individuals include Mr Nicodemus Muide, Aloise Gitonga Kiura, Stephen Makokha, Mohamud Khalif Maalim (a broker aged 38), and Esther Ogega Nyambura, also known as Pauline Nyangara Ogega, Carol, or Purity, who serves as an intern within the department.
However, the DCI disclosed that during the process, Muide suffered a heart attack and was subsequently released on bail to seek medical treatment.
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People queue at Department of Immigration Services office at Nyayo House
"Confronted by the facts of the allegations laid against him, Mr Muide, unfortunately, fell ill and was rushed to AAR Hospital along Kiambu Road where he was diagnosed with heart attack and high sugar levels," DCI reported.
CS Kindiki cranks up pressure at Nyayo House as 10-day countdown begins
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has cranked up the heat at the Department of Immigration over the backlog in the issuance of passports.
Following his series of impromptu inspections at Nyayo House, CS Kindiki called a meeting of immigration officials at Nyayo House on September 8.
Among those in the meeting were Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok and Immigration and Citizen Services Director General Evelyn Cheluget.
During the meeting, the CS stressed that the backlog of over 40,000 passports should be released in the next 10 days.
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Interior CS Kithure Kindiki addressing the National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities on September 28, 2023
“The 10-day countdown to clear the historical backlog of pending 40,000 plus passport applications is on.
“Deployment of day and night shifts to facilitate full-capacity printing of passports, procurement of modern printing equipment, and recruitment of additional immigration officers will help us resolve the systemic challenges that have hampered service delivery,” he said.
During an impromptu visit to Nyayo House on Thursday, September 7, CS Kindiki said he was impressed at the service delivery.