During President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term, a woman impersonating a State House staff member swindled businesspeople and desperate Kenyans out more than Sh33 million, promising to connect them with government tenders and jobs.
Grace Mwarania Waigumu, who falsely claimed to work at State House and, in some cases, posed as the Personal Assistant to former Senior Presidential Advisor Nancy Gitau, deceived numerous victims.
She was arrested in September 2018, nine months after victims had filed statements with the police.
Despite their complaints, they were taken around in circles at Nairobi Central Police Station.
One of her victims, Abdiwahab Aden, a clinician, was defrauded of Sh31 million over several transactions in 2017, with promises of government contracts.
She introduced herself to Aden as Nancy Gitau’s PA.
Another victim, Juba-based businessman Brian Manyara, lost Sh1.9 million. Waigumu had presented herself as a State House staff member and persuaded him to invest in Jubilee campaign materials, but issued him bounced cheques.
After Aden and Manyara raised alarms, then-DCI boss George Kinoti ordered her arrest. It took 10 days for the police to apprehend her.
Waigumu was eventually caught when she was tricked into driving her Toyota Land Cruiser to a station, where she was locked in.
Over 10 other victims came forward, reporting losses ranging from Sh300,000 to Sh5 million, all scammed by Waigumu’s fraudulent promises.
