Police officers in Nairobi have arrested a man impersonating a senior officer of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The arrest came after he was found issuing fake admission letters to unsuspecting Kenyans seeking military recruitment.
Joshua Mutwii Maingi, a middle-aged man, was nabbed at his Kilimani apartment, where he was reportedly living under the guise of a Kenya Air Force brigadier.
According to Parklands Police Station’s occurrence book, a member of the public tipped off authorities after noticing suspicious activity involving recruitment letters for the Recruit Training School (RTS) in Eldoret.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) followed Maingi to his rental unit at Chery Apartments, where he was arrested at 7:40 pm on Monday, November 17.
At the time of arrest, Maingi was dressed in a full military uniform, complete with brigadier insignia and Gorget patches, signalling a rank far above his actual status.
“It was reported by a member of the public that there was a middle aged man purporting to be a brigadier of the KDF who was issuing calling letters to unsuspecting Kenyans within Westlands for them to report to Recruit Training School (RTS) in Eldoret,” read the police report.
A subsequent search of his residence yielded a trove of incriminating items that the police will use in the case against him. Investigators recovered six forged admission letters purporting to be from the Ministry of Defence, seven calling letters all bearing identical serial numbers, and seven fingerprint forms. Additionally, officers found a Yilmaz Defence Industry manual, a personal ID card, a blue stamp pad, a KCSE certificate suspected to belong to one of his victims, and keys to a white Toyota Axio (registration KDJ 473A).
Maingi remains in custody at Parklands pending further investigations and arraignment, with the case now officially being handled by DCI Parklands.
“The recovered items have been kept as exhibits after an inventory was taken. He is in custody pending processing and arraignment. Case PBC with DCI Parklands dealing,” said the police.
