A Nairobi-based college guaranteed placements for about 1,000 students at universities and colleges of their choice around the world. Under an international student placement board, the students intended to fly aboard this month to study at some of the world’s most prestigious universities.
Parents paid up to Ksh350,000 to Kenyan Network Markets, which ran the college. They were happy and hopeful for the future success of their kids in school and the workforce. They extended loans to people who were having trouble raising money.
They had no idea, though, that they had been deceived by a fraud scam that was allegedly being conducted at seedy college’s Eastland’s office in Nairobi.
The organisation that received fees to enable sending students abroad has been shut down. The scheme’s handymen were left behind to face the fury of outraged parents who demanded their money refunded or payback.
The planned departure date passed, and the claimed scheme’s mastermind vanished. the unregistered institution operating on Nairobi’s Outering Road allegedly defrauded at least 1,000 parents.
Despite complaints from the claimed victims, authorities in Nairobi have not yet questioned the owner of Kenema College of Professional Studies. Javan Ochieng, a businessman, is the owner of Kenya Network Markets (Kenema), the organisation that manages the college.
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Everything began on May 24, 2021, when Mr Ochieng was a guest on a local radio station’s morning programme. He had a good bargain for people who wanted to study abroad.
Following the radio interview, a vigorous mainstream and social media campaign was launched, which increased interest among students and parents. The owner mostly catered to children who performed poorly on their secondary school exams. He promised to move the application along more quickly. Just two weeks following the media interview, the college established a “foreign student placement programme” office. Later, a college orientation forum would be open to parents and students.
However, after learning that none of the paperwork was being handled, certain teaching staff members at the college voiced their concerns about the management of the foreign studies programme in October 2021. As soon as parents submitted their application forms, they were left in the office, according to an administrator at the school.
Without warning to the students or parents, Kenema College of Professional Studies was abruptly closed. The accused scheme’s creators continued to solicit students and parents and collect cash from them. Later, they shifted their operations to a Buruburu office.
At least 175 parents signed up for the institution’s dubious programme when it visited a church in Kasarani in April of this year. According to reports, the institution received Sh18 million from congregational parents. Later, the owner closed the Buruburu office and disappeared, leaving his staff to deal with the fury of irate parents. Some of these parents turned to the police, filing numerous reports at the Buruburu Police Station between June 6 and June 17.
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