Suspect in Fake KDF Recruitment Scheme Detained for Five Days as Probe Continues

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The court has granted the prosecution five days to detain a man identified as Patrick Katua Mutinda, who is accused of running a fake recruitment scheme targeting members of the public with promises of securing jobs in the Kenya Defence Forces.

Mutinda appeared before the Milimani magistrate Courts, where investigators sought more time to conclude what they described as an organized fraud network involving multiple accomplices.

The prosecution, led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), told the court that Mutinda and his co-accused Anthony Muthangya allegedly defrauded Nicholas Wambua Muthangya and his family of more than sh 4.5 million.

Suspect Patrick Katua Mutinda before Milimani magistrate court on April 13,2026

The court heard that the complainant was allegedly promised a slot in the 2025 KDF recruitment exercise, with the suspects claiming they could facilitate the process in exchange for payments.

Between November 2025 and January 2026, the complainant is said to have sent sh 400,000 via M-Pesa and later transferred sh 4,154,000 through an Equity Bank account to accounts linked to the suspects.

Investigators further alleged that after receiving the money, the suspects switched phone numbers, used fake identities, and cut off communication, before relocating from Nairobi to Mombasa in an attempt to evade arrest.

Mutinda was arrested on April 9, 2026, along Mama Ngina Street during a DCI operation before being transferred to Nairobi for further processing.

The prosecution applied for a seven-day detention order at Kilimani Police Station, saying detectives needed time to complete searches in Utawala, finalize financial tracing, and pursue other suspects believed to be in Kitui and Changamwe.

However, defence counsel opposed the application, arguing that Mutinda had cooperated fully with officers from Mombasa to Nairobi and did not pose a flight risk. 

They further claimed he was known to the complainant and suggested that part of the money had already been refunded, urging the court to grant only two days.

In his ruling, the magistrate noted that investigations were still ongoing but not yet complete. The court emphasized the need to balance the suspect’s rights with the demands of the investigation.

Ultimately, the court granted the prosecution a five-day detention order, allowing Mutinda to be held at Kilimani Police Station as detectives continue with investigations.

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