Eldoret Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Alleged Overseas Job Scam Mastermind

An Eldoret court has issued a warrant of arrest against a businessman accused of masterminding an overseas job scam that allegedly defrauded 18 job seekers in the North Rift region of more than Sh12 million.

The warrant was issued after the accused, Joseph Kipkemboi Keino, failed to appear in court for the mention of his case, where he was expected to confirm whether he had initiated compensation payments to the victims.

Keino had earlier committed to making an initial payment of Sh500,000 by December 2025 following negotiations with the complainants. The undertaking was made in September 2024, when he appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Kesse Cheronoh.

However, when the matter came up for mention, Keino was absent—along with his lawyer, identified only as Mureithi—prompting the court to take decisive action.

“Your Honour, I have been informed that the suspect has not given his lawyer any instructions regarding this case, despite knowing that it was scheduled for mention today,” submitted Edwin Ruto, counsel for the victims.

Magistrate Cheronoh consequently granted police authority to launch a manhunt for the suspect and present him in court for jumping bail.

The court also turned its attention to the surety who secured Keino’s release by depositing a land title deed valued at over Sh3 million. The magistrate issued summons requiring the guarantor to appear in court on February 9, 2026, to explain the whereabouts of the accused.

Court proceedings further revealed that Keino has switched off all his mobile phones, raising concerns over his intention to evade justice.

According to court documents, Keino is accused of obtaining more than Sh12 million by false pretence, allegedly promising to secure overseas employment for the victims. The prosecution states that the money was collected on diverse dates between March and July 2024.

While the charge sheet indicates that the victims were promised jobs in Qatar, further documents state that individual victims paid amounts ranging from Sh300,000 to Sh1.8 million, with assurances of employment as hotel workers in Australia.

Keino first appeared in court in September 2024, where he denied all charges and was released on a Sh3 million bond without an option of cash bail.

His co-accused, Jael Jepkoech, is alleged to have fled to Qatar three years ago and remains at large. Police have since obtained a court order to engage Interpol in efforts to trace and extradite her to Kenya to face the charges.

The court heard that Keino had previously disappeared for five months after being charged. He was later re-arrested in Nairobi by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), leading to the cancellation of his bond. The same court later reinstated the Sh3 million bond after he pleaded for leniency and pledged to refund the defrauded funds.

The case is scheduled to come up for mention on February 9, 2026.