A pastor from Kiambu County has been arrested for allegedly impersonating a senior anti-terror officer and defrauding an Ethiopian refugee of over Ksh.3 million in a fake citizenship scam.
Reverend Richard Macharia Njuguna, affiliated with the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) in Juja Farm, Thika South Diocese, was arrested by detectives from the Nairobi Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) at Overstone Hotel on the Eastern Bypass in Ruiru.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Njuguna posed as a senior officer attached to the ATPU and claimed he had connections at the Directorate of Immigration Services. He reportedly convinced the Ethiopian national that he could expedite the process of acquiring Kenyan citizenship.
The scam is said to have occurred between December 20, 2024, and February 12, 2025, during which the victim was defrauded of Ksh.3,030,500. The complaint was initially filed at Nairobi’s Capitol Hill Police Station and later referred to the ATPU for further investigation due to the nature of the allegations.
Upon arrest, a search was conducted at Njuguna’s residence in Kahawa West and in his vehicle. Authorities recovered numerous suspicious documents and wooden stamps believed to have been used to support his impersonation. Among the items seized were forged credentials linked to key government institutions, including the Chief Magistrate’s office in Nairobi, the Kenya Immigration Department at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Immigration Control in Busia, the Embassy of Kenya in Somalia, and the Ministry of Lands.
Investigators suspect these forged materials were instrumental in gaining the trust of his victim and potentially other unsuspecting individuals.
“The suspect remains in custody as he undergoes further processing, and his vehicle and the recovered items are being held as exhibits,” the DCI said in a statement.
Authorities have urged the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious individuals claiming to have government connections, especially in matters involving sensitive services such as immigration and citizenship.
