Eldoret:Fraudster Accused of Scamming Youths of Over Sh 500 Million in Job Offer Racket Remanded
A man accused of defrauding hundreds of youths from North Rift and Western regions of more than Sh 500 million with false promises of jobs in Canada and Turkey was brought before Eldoret’s court yesterday.
Anthony Masika Barasa, 37, appeared calm in the dock wearing a black jacket, but he faces serious charges of obtaining money under false pretenses. The Chief Magistrate, Dennis Mikoyani, agreed to a 21-day police custody request by investigators to finalize their case against Barasa.
Barasa is alleged to have operated a bogus employment agency, Gifford Agencies HR and Marketing Services Company, where he tricked over 400 victims, including recent college and university graduates, between September 28, 2023, and July 19, 2024. The scam involved collecting between Sh 450,000 and 525,000 from each victim through bank transfers and Mpesa, promising them lucrative overseas job placements.
Investigations revealed that Barasa, who vanished after closing his agency, had been avoiding calls from disgruntled clients until he was finally apprehended two days ago with the help of local residents. Police Constable James Barasa, from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, informed the court that they have yet to confirm whether Barasa’s agency was legally authorized by the National Employment Authority.
The court was also told that releasing Barasa on bail could jeopardize his safety, as he had previously gone underground. Chief Magistrate Mikoyani ordered that Barasa be held at Eldoret Central Police Station for 21 days pending further investigation and scheduled a mention of the case for September 30.
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