Suspects con parents Sh300,000 in fake scholarship deal

Police in Homa Bay have arrested three suspects for allegedly conning parents Sh300,000 in a fake scholarship deal.

The two men and a woman who have been detained at Ndhiwa Police Station, allegedly told parents to part with Sh10,000 to enable them to secure a full scholarship for their children joining Form One.

The trio claimed that they intended to sponsor children who scored 350 marks and above in 2023 KCPE. 

Ndhiwa Sub-County Police Commander Paul Rioba said the suspects told the parents to give them Sh10,000 for each child who qualified for the scholarship.

The parents were told the money would cater for transport and other logistics when their children are being taken to school for admission.

By Wednesday, at least 30 parents had given the suspects a total of Sh300,000.

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The suspects reportedly promised the parents that they were going to distribute calling letters from schools where they intended to sponsor the children at Kobodo Trading Centre.

However, when the parents went to the trading centre, the suspects failed to produce the calling letters.

This forced the parents to call the police who arrested the trio.

Rioba said officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation established that the suspects were con men.

“The officers established that they were conning the parents," he said.

However, police are yet to recover the money taken from parents.

He warned residents against falling for the tricks of con men.

“Let residents of Ndhiwa avoid engaging in deals aimed at conning them. A person who wants to sponsor the education of a child from a poor parent cannot demand any money from the same parent,” Rioba said.

The police boss said the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of investigations.