DCI officers arrested suspects believed to be members of a cartel that swindled unsuspecting teachers millions of shillings on the pretext that they would be offered employment opportunities, promotions and transfers.
TSC principal accountant arrested for leaking teachers' sensitive info to cartel
DCI said he leaked teachers' personal details including financial data to help the gang execute the scheme.
TSC officers in Nairobi
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The suspects include Teachers Service Commission Principal Accountant Jeremiah Musyoka Lawrence Mumo who is an electronics engineer, Japheth Kyalo and Nathaniel Kanyagia Jambuya.
The gang was arraigned in court on Wednesday, July 7 where custodial orders were granted to hold the suspects for 14 more days as investigations continue.
The court was told that Kyalo was the mastermind while Musyoka was a key actor who leaked teachers' personal details including financial data to help the gang execute the scheme.
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TSC Principal Accountant Jeremiah Musyoka
Pulse Live Kenya
According to a statement from the DCI the cartel operated three major cons which targeted TSC applicants, headteachers and principals and retiring teachers.
Scheme 1: Retiring Teachers
The fraudsters working with rogue officials from the pensions department target teachers due to retire and cajole them with promises of fast tracking their pension at a fee. In the end, the teachers lose their entire pension and savings.
One of the gang’s victims lost Sh 700,000 after he was approached by one of the conmen and was enticed into taking a loan from the Nairobi-based shylock.
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Unbeknownst to the retiree, the scammers took his personal details and used them to open an account bearing his name at a bank in Webuye.
Japheth Kyalo
Pulse Live Kenya
The details were then shared with the rogue officials at the pension department who processed his pension and wired it to the account. However, the money was immediately reverted to an account operated from Nairobi, where it was withdrawn. The retiree died shortly thereafter.
Scheme 2: TSC Applicants
The court was told that Musyoka had been accessing teachers’ personal information discreetly, before sharing it with the cons.
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In an elaborate scheme unearthed by detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, Musyoka accesses the database and fishes out details of prospective teachers, who have made applications.
He then shares the information with cons who use a fake TSC CEO account to lure unsuspecting applicants.
Nathaniel Kanyagia
Pulse Live Kenya
In order to convince the applicants that they are actually communicating with the CEO, they share with the applicant their personal information as captured in the TSC database.
Confronted with the leaked information about them, the applicants fall for the trap hook, line, and sinker then asked to part with hundreds of thousands of shillings to secure opportunities.
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Scheme 3: School heads
Teachers who hold senior positions such as principals and their deputies eagerly waiting to hold managerial positions have also not been left out in the vicious con game.
Principals are promised transfers to schools that are considered prestigious at a fee.
The DCI commenced the probe on the invitation of outgoing TSC CEO Nancy Macharia.
Lawrence Mumo
Pulse Live Kenya
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