A life prisoner at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison has been handed a three-year year jail term for conning a woman Sh800,000 on the promise of helping her get a job at State House Nairobi.
Patrick Amere was handed the sentence by Milimani Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo yesterday, leaving his promise to spill the beans on the operations of the fraud syndicate hanging.
The syndicate that targets high profile job seekers is driven by prisoners and civilians outside the prison.
The complainant's advocate did not immediately indicate intention of commencing civil proceedings against the prisoner to recover the Sh800,000.
When he was arraigned in court for fraud in February, this year, Amere did not deny the charges.
Turned away at State House gate
This was after she was turned away at the State House gate when she reported to start her new job. At the time, she believed Amere was a top official at State House.
“The complainant does not know the accused who conned her. She only interacted with him through a Facebook account and through phone calls,” her advocate, Mr Robert Tombe, told the court during the trial.
Besides the sentence, the magistrate directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to look into how electronic communication gadgets find their way into Kamiti prison, one of the most highly secured correctional facilities in the country.
This is because Amere, who is serving a life sentence for robbery with violence, used unknown communication gadgets to con Dr Ambe of Sh800,000 between July and September 2020.
He lied that he would assist her to get employed at State House as a human resource officer. The fraud involved a person who impersonated Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
The money was wired to the prisoner in different amounts between July 24 and September 11, 2020, to facilitate appointment of Dr Ambe to the State House job.
According to court and police documents, Dr Ambe had been promised a monthly salary of Sh2.2 million after being “appointed as a human resource office at State House, Nairobi” in August 2020.
The fraud happened during numerous conversations via phone call with Amere and another person known as 'Dr' John Machisu Munyauto, in which they used at least six mobile numbers and one land line.
Asked for mitigation prior to sentencing, Amere said nothing, prompting the court to conclude that he was not remorseful for his actions and he deserved a harsh penalty.
"This may not make much of a difference because he is already in prison but will act to deter others," ruled Ms Kagendo.
As he was being sentenced, Amere complained to the magistrate that he was being tortured by prison authorities who have locked him up in a solitary cell.
He pleaded to be transferred to King'ong'o prison in Nyeri, Naivasha or Shimo la Tewa in Mombasa.
But the magistrate directed that he remains at Kamiti where the detectives from the DCI have been ordered to carry out an in-depth investigation to unearth other persons involved in the syndicate.
Documents indicate that Dr Ambe was issued with an appointment letter for the fake job and asked her to send an acceptance letter. She was also promised an official high end car and a fully furnished house with a gym.
In her statement to police, she said the supposed house she was to occupy is situated at State House grounds.
She was also promised two laptops and asked what her favourite colour was for curtains to be hanged in the house.
“I went to State House on September 7, 2020 to report for work. On arrival at the gate, the security informed me that my name had not been left with them. They directed me to Harambee House, but before reaching I received a call from Mheshimiwa (the fake Mr Wamalwa) informing me that my reporting date had been extended to September 14, still at State House,” she narrated.
She went to see Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua at Harambee House, where she handed in her “appointment letter”. That was when she realised she had been conned.
After defrauding people, Amere would send the money to his sister via M-Pesa to keep it for him.
