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Fake State House laptop tender suspect arrested

By HILARY KIMUYU December 6th, 2018 1 min read

Detectives from the Serious Crime Investigations Unit have arrested a suspect linked to fake State House laptop tenders that has seen several Kenyans lose millions of shillings.

Police say the suspect, identified as Fredrick Muhanji Mangala alias Douglas Simiyu, has also been impersonating as a National Intelligence ServiceĀ  (NIS) officer.

He was arrested on Tuesday in Kakamega.

“Fredrick Muhanji Mangala alias Douglas Simiyu, a man who personates to be a National Intelligence Service Officer and the master planner of the fake tender to supply laptops to State House was arrested in Kakamega,” DCI said.

Police believe officials at State House, the Department of Defence (DoD) and government ministries appear to be colluding with fraudsters going by recent arrests and witness statements.

At least two people have so far reported to have lost Sh240 million and Sh89 million respectively after they were issued with fake local purchase orders (LPO) to supply laptops and computer software.

In October, DCI officers arrested four other suspects Eric Otieno Atanga, David Mapili, Jackson Kiharo, George Ochieng Onyango and Mercy Wahiga Wanjiku in connection with the fake State House laptop scam.

Police say they are in hot pursuit of government officials abetting the crime, Mangala will be arraigned in court to be charged with obtaining money under false pretenses.