Kenyan’s False Promises of Jobs in Mauritius, 43 Scammed

Maria Wangari Kamunge, a Kenyan national, is facing serious allegations for tricking 43 compatriots with false promises of well-paid jobs in Mauritius that never came to fruition. After reportedly pocketing millions, she would simply vanish. Following her arrest in Kenya, she appeared in court last Thursday 27th March on fraud charges.

Known on TikTok as Rish Kamunge, the young woman was granted bail just a day later by a Kenyan court.

The bail amount was set at a significant 5 million Kenyan shillings, roughly Rs 1,766,723.

Kamunge is accused of deceiving numerous Kenyans with the allure of employment in Mauritius through her company, Trustpin Verified Agent Limited.

She allegedly received payments through the mobile platform M-Pesa, which was registered under her name.

The company operated from an office in Nairobi’s vibrant central business district and used TikTok as a recruitment platform to attract unsuspecting candidates.

Despite the objections from the Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions, who sought an extension of her detention for further inquiry, Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina decided to grant her bail.

He stated, “The prosecution did not provide sufficient grounds for the continued detention of the suspect.

They also failed to demonstrate any risk to Maria Kamunge’s safety or present evidence of a significant number of formal complaints,” as highlighted in his ruling.

Authorities estimate that Kamunge swindled her victims out of a staggering total of 13 million Kenyan shillings (around Rs 4,593,482), with individual losses ranging from Rs 70,000 to Rs 150,000 for the promise of jobs in Mauritius.

To their dismay, many of the victims arrived only to find themselves stranded at the airport without support, while others were unceremoniously returned to Kenya without any explanation, according to reports emerging from the Kenyan press.

The Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that Kamunge would allegedly disappear after taking money from applicants, leaving them in distress.

The first complaint against her was filed on January 1, 2025, with the latest complaint coming in on March 20.

As more victims began to report their experiences, Kamunge reportedly went into hiding until her arrest on March 26.

Her capture was aided by citizens who, enraged, detained her at her office before handing her over to the police in Nairobi.

Since Kamunge’s arrest, four more victims have stepped forward with similar claims.

This incident unfolds as DCI investigators in Nairobi are currently probing over 35 companies suspected of being involved in job-related fraud.

Benson Kasyoki, head of regional criminal investigations, noted a significant rise in complaints regarding scams in the international recruitment sector, stressing that many of the implicated companies are unregistered.

Mauritius, in particular, has increasingly become a sought-after destination for individuals seeking employment overseas, contributing to the complexity of the situation.

Source: Defi Media