15 Detained in Passport Issuance Corruption Scandal at Nyayo House
Nairobi – The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Transnational Organized Crime has taken 15 individuals into custody in connection with a corruption scandal revolving around passport issuance at Nyayo House, Nairobi.
This crackdown comes weeks after Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Prof. Kithure Kindiki, directed an investigation in response to public outrage over alleged corrupt practices.
An operation by DCI detectives beginning Monday has already yielded six arrests among the Department of Immigration Services staff, including an intern, and an additional nine suspected brokers. A manhunt is ongoing for more suspects who fled upon learning of the operation.
The corruption allegations reveal a distressing pattern of misconduct by public servants. Kenyans and foreign applicants seeking passports and work permits allegedly fell victim to extortion, as rogue officials exploited a temporary system downtime for personal gain.
The corrupt officials purportedly stationed brokers at the facility, coercing applicants with urgent needs and those with influence into paying exorbitant sums, bypassing standard procedures to access services.
After an exhaustive process of forensic analysis and suspect profiling, detectives executed a raid at the Department of Immigration Services on Monday leading to the detention of five individuals, including four staff members and one broker.
The suspects include Mr. Nicodemus Muide, Aloise Gitonga Kiura, Stephen Makokha, Mohamud Khalif Maalim, and Esther Ogega Nyambura, who is an intern at the department.
During interrogation, Mr. Muide who fell ill was transported to AAR Hospital on Kiambu Road, where he received treatment for a heart attack and high sugar levels.
He has since been released on bail to allow him get access to continued medical attention as detectives sought custodial orders for the other suspects at Kahawa Law Courts to facilitate ongoing investigations. Fortunately, Mr. Muide has since recovered.
At Nyayo House and the Central Business District, another staff member, Joseph Ireri Karani, and eight brokers were apprehended.
DCI has identified the brokers as Abdullahi Abdirahman Ali, Bashir Ore Ibrahim, Damaris Kwamboka Bosire, Charles Mucheru Mwangi, George Karancha Obare, Domiciano Makori Oketch, Isaac Mbulo, and Luke Lang’at.
Investigators have also obtained a trail of financial transactions from the suspects’ mobile money and bank accounts, revealing how funds were allegedly remitted to immigration officers and their associates. These findings are crucial in building a solid case for prosecution.
The arrests come just six weeks after the apprehension of four other suspects on August 25, who were implicated in soliciting bribes related to passport issuance.
Patric Njoroge, a governance expert said the actions were preceded by surprise visits to Nyayo House by Prof. Kindiki, who sought to address a backlog of over 40,000 passport applications and eliminate corrupt practices within the system.
Prof. Kindiki, who had given a 10-day directive to clear the application backlog, emphasized his commitment to eradicating corruption within the immigration department, vowing to dismantle the criminal network responsible for undermining the integrity of the passport issuance process.