The Director of Press Service in the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (OPCS-MFDA) Salim Swaleh was on Saturday arrested for allegedly dealing in fraud.
Mudavadi’s office on Sunday confirmed the arrest after suspected swindlers were found in his office located at Kenya Railways building with fake door switch nametags.
In a statement dated June 23, 2024, the secretary for strategic communication OPCS-MFDA Peter Warutere said several fraudsters and government officers were also arrested alongside Swaleh.
“A cabal of fraudsters and government officers who facilitated their operations at OPCS-MFDA at Kenya Railways building were arrested yesterday, Saturday, June 22. Further investigations by relevant law enforcement agencies are ongoing to track and arrest other conspirators who may have been involved,” part of the statement signed by Warutere read.
“The arrests followed a tipoff that alerted OPCS-MFDA security, who then mounted intense surveillance at the OPCS-MFDA Railways Office to disrupt the reported nefarious acts of impersonation and misuse of the facility by the fraudsters.”
The arrests followed a tipoff that alerted Mudavadi’s security, who then mounted intense surveillance at the Railways Office to disrupt the reported nefarious acts of impersonation and misuse of the facility by the fraudsters.
The Office added that further investigations by relevant law enforcement agencies are ongoing to identify and arrest other conspirators who may have been involved.
“The surveillance involved the tracking of a group of people posing as visitors, who individually entered the railway building at different dates and times,” the statement added.
According to Warutere, the fraudsters pretended to be Very Important People (VIP) guests or government officials, as well as the officials they claimed to be visiting.
“Their victims were mainly foreigners who were directed to the Railways Building, ostensibly to meet with senior government officials to obtain favours in exchange for bribes,” he said.
Mudavadi’s office has also reported that when the officials were arrested, they tried to bribe their way out.
“After being smoked out at one of the OPCS-MFDA Railway offices where the fraudsters had lain in wait for their victims on Saturday, the group dared to try and bribe their way out,” the statement said.
He says the government officials arrested had perfected “renting” office space to criminals, either by vacating their offices for use by the fraudsters or by deceptively misrepresenting themselves.
“This deception also involved replacing legitimate nameplates with fake ones on office doors to further the fraud,” he added.
The OPCS-MFDA has also appealed for any information that would expose any corrupt activities within the ministry.
The media personality who has worked in several media houses in the country was appointed the Director of Communications in the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary in January 2023 and was in charge of communications in the office of prime CS.
Before joining Mudavadi’s press team, the ICT, e-government, and public communication Chief Officer for Nakuru County.
Swaleh’s responsibility involved establishing and driving a multi-channel communications strategy, preparing and managing all communications material, developing a brand voice and maintaining brand integrity across all platforms.
Other responsibilities included managing media relations and developing contacts with media houses and influencers.
