A man suspected to have defrauded unsuspecting job seekers Sh 4.5 million for recruitment to the Kenya Defense Forces will remain in custody for another five days.

Principal Magistrate Paul Mutai ordered that Patrick Katua Mutinda be detained at Capitol Hill Police Station pending conclusion of investigations.

Chief Inspector Susan Wambugu told the court that officers at DCI Headquarters received a complaint on the 11th February 2026 from Nicholas Wambua Muthangya, the director of Tanathi Water Works Development Agency that in November 2025, one Anthony Muthangya informed him of KDF recruitment which he was interested in.

The complainant further reported that he agreed with Anthony Muthangya and Patrick Katua Mutinda to channel the Sh 220,000 for each person interested in Joining the KDF.

“The complainant informed his kin to prepare for the recruitment by mobilizing each Sh 220,000 which was shared to him,” said CI Wambugu.

The the complainant sent Sh 400,000 through his Mpesa account to a Family bank account belonging to Muthangya.

According to affidavit by CI Wambugu, the complainant later transferred Sh 4,154,000 from his equity bank account to Mutinda’s Mpesa account on diverse dates in between 11th November 2025 and 6th January 2026.

During investigations, two suspects were identified and it was established that the suspects had changed all their mobile numbers and had registered new ones using fake identities, and residences from Nairobi to Mombasa.

The police managed to arrest Mutinda aling Mama Ngina Street in Mombasa on 9th April 2026.

The court heard that the investigators need more time to conclude investigations since they are yet to receive documents from Equity Bank, Family Bank and Safaricom to be able to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

CI Wambugu also stated that the DCI intends to conduct a search in a reported house in Utawala, Nairobi County where the other suspect is believed to be hiding and release of the suspect at this point is likely to jeopardize the investigations.

In addition, the DCI is also trailing other suspects directly involved in this offence and believed to be in Kitui and Changamwe. Further, there are accomplices who are on the run and if released before the completion of the investigations, Mutinda will interfere with the suspects and the witnesses that are critical in the ongoing investigations.