Nine suspects have been charged in Nairobi over an alleged scheme to illegally issue national identity cards. Those arraigned include National Registration Bureau officers, brokers and two foreign nationals.
Investigators say forged documents and government stamps were recovered during raids, as authorities warned more arrests could follow in the widening probe.
The suspects charged on Wednesday include five officers from the National Registration Bureau (NRB), two brokers and two foreign nationals believed to have benefited from or facilitated the illegal process.
Authorities say the arrests followed weeks of investigations into a network accused of enabling unqualified applicants to obtain official identification documents.
Those charged from the NRB are Titus Muasya Nthenge, Judy Kemto, Festus Bahat Chai, Moses Mogaya and Ruth Osebe.
Detectives allege that the officers abused their positions to process and issue identity cards outside the law.
They were arraigned alongside brokers Yahya Daudi and Abdikadir Mohamed Dahir, who are accused of acting as intermediaries between applicants and corrupt officials.
Also facing charges are two foreign nationals, Mauris Havyarimana, a Burundian citizen, and Victor Kamanda, a Rwandese national.
Investigators say the two were among the beneficiaries or facilitators of the fraudulent scheme, which involved multiple forms of identification from different countries.
During a raid in Zimmerman, officers recovered a cache of incriminating materials. These included 19 stamps from various government agencies, three driving licences bearing different licence numbers but all in the name of Victor Kamanda, Ugandan identity cards and a voter’s card from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Detectives believe the items were used to support the illegal processing of identity documents.
The suspects were presented before the Kahawa Law Courts by detectives from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit.
All those present pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court granted each accused person a bond of Sh500,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh50,000, with the requirement of one contact person.
One of the accused, Judy Kemunto, did not appear in court, having earlier been released on cash bail. Her lawyer told the court that she failed to attend because her child was unwell. The magistrate ordered that she takes her plea on January 21, 2026.
Prosecutors opposed the granting of bond to the two foreign nationals, citing concerns linked to their status and the ongoing investigations. The court scheduled the hearing of their bond applications for January 8, 2026.
Authorities say investigations are continuing, with more arrests expected as detectives work to dismantle what they believe is a wider network involved in identity fraud.
The case has highlighted longstanding concerns about corruption and security vulnerabilities within systems responsible for issuing national identification documents.
Investigators say the operation reflects a broader effort by law enforcement agencies to protect the integrity of Kenya’s national identification system and prevent its exploitation for criminal or transnational activities.
