Fraudster arrested for posing as senior procurement officer in gov’t ministries

A serial fraudster who has obtained tens of millions of shillings from unsuspecting Kenyans and foreigners by posing as a senior procurement officer in various government ministries was Tuesday morning arrested by detectives.

David Ambuku alias General who manufactures fraudulent tender documents and local purchase orders before convincing bidders and potential suppliers that he will award them the lucrative contracts was retrieved from a water tank where he had nosedived to evade arrest.

Ambuku, who had conspired to defraud two merchants of Ksh 47.3 million using forged tender documents for ministries of Interior and Labour, almost drowned after plunging into the water tank at the sight of financial investigations detectives who raided his house at Kimathi estate, along Jogoo road.

According to a police report, the alleged con who is a Director of Kemoma Ventures and several other companies works in cahoots with crooked officials in government ministries and state departments after which he secures access to their well-furnished offices and boardrooms where he conducts his business.

Innocent merchants, who mostly comprise of young ladies and foreigners, looking for investment opportunities are then convinced that they have met the boss and part with colossal sums of money to influence the award of the contracts in their favour.

They are then issued fake local purchase orders to supply the goods before Ambuku stages his disappearance.

In addition, the report indicates that a Chinese citizen lost Ksh 26 million after being ushered into a meeting with the ‘procurement officer’ at a boardroom in the Ministry of Labour headquarters.

“The serial fraudster with a knack for obtaining millions of shillings from unsuspecting investors has previously posed as a senior military official at defence headquarters and obtained over Ksh 26 million from a would-be investor,” the report further reads.

The scammer who has over 10 pending cases in different courts has been engaging detectives in hide and seek games before he was finally cornered Tuesday morning.

Ambuku will be arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Wednesday to take a plea.

The DCI is urging any person who has fallen victim to Ambuku’s fraudulent tactics to report to the Economic Crimes Unit at DCI headquarters or dial the DCI anonymous toll-free number 0800 722 203 to file their report.