Job seekers in the Gulf region have often been warned of fake recruiting agency seeking money for employment at some of the leading companies.
Police on Monday arrested a man accused of defrauding people in the guise of securing them employment in Qatar.
#ConAlert |@DCI_Kenya Detectives yesterday afternoon arrested Mr.Joseph Kipkoech Keino;a man who has been defrauding people with the promise that he can secure them employment in #Qatar.The suspect will appear in court today to face charges of obtaining money by false pretenses. pic.twitter.com/jWetItBQ98
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) October 23, 2018
The suspect, Mr Joseph Kipkoech Keino, is set to be arraigned on Tuesday.
Police did not disclose how many people fell victim to his ‘con scheme’, only saying he will be charged with obtaining money under false pretences.
Many Kenyan youth are said to be working in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon and other Middle East countries.
But all that glitters is not gold, because thousands of Kenyans working in these countries, especially women working as house helps, are being mistreated and others killed in mysterious ways.
In September 2014, the Kenyan government banned its citizens from seeking domestic work in Middle East countries and revoked the licences of 930 recruitment agencies after reports of abuses increased.
In March last year, however, the same government lifted the blanket ban on the exportation of labour to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait.
The government, through the Labour ministry, said Kenyans with professional qualifications, such as accounting, hotel management and secretarial, can freely work in the Gulf states, provided they apply through properly vetted recruitment agencies.
#ConAlert: Have you ever been conned by these??men who pretend to sell #gold? Kindly share the information with our #SeriousCrimeUnit based @DCI_Kenya Headquarters. pic.twitter.com/3YOONGrcvY
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) August 22, 2018
However, unscrupulous businessmen have now seen an opportunity to exploit unsuspecting youth, who have done professional courses in Kenya and yearn to work in the Gulf countries.
Several families at the coast have been conned of hundreds of thousands of shillings after they were duped that they can be helped secure visas and employment in the United Arab Emirates