Eldoret Court Orders Man Accused of Job Scam to Begin Repaying Victims
“You can start by paying as little as KSh20,000 as a show of goodwill. It is not mandatory to begin with a large sum,” the magistrate said.
Joseph Kipkoech Keino, the man behind an overseas job scam in the North Rift region
An Eldoret court has directed Joseph Kipkoech Keino, accused of defrauding 18 job seekers of more than KSh12 million, to begin refunding the victims by September 29, 2025.
According to court records, Keino allegedly received the funds from university and college students, as well as taxi operators, under the guise of securing them lucrative hotel jobs in Australia. He reportedly promised monthly salaries of KSh900,000, plus free food and accommodation.
While presiding over the case, Principal Magistrate Cherono Kesse warned Keino that failure to comply with the repayment order would lead to the immediate cancellation of his KSh3 million bond. She further directed him to deposit an initial installment of KSh150,000 by the end of the month to avoid being remanded at Eldoret GK Prison.
“You can start by paying as little as KSh20,000 as a show of goodwill. It is not mandatory to begin with a large sum,” the magistrate said. Keino is expected to appear in court again on October 6 to confirm compliance with the order.
Earlier, the accused had requested additional time to raise the funds, assuring the court that he intended to refund the victims of the failed overseas job deal.
Court documents show Keino allegedly obtained between KSh300,000 and KSh1.8 million from each victim between March and July 2024, by false pretenses. He first appeared in court in September 2024, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a KSh3 million bond with a surety of the same amount.
The court also revealed that Interpol has issued a warrant of arrest for another suspect in the same case, identified as Jael Jepkoech, who is believed to have fled to Qatar. The two allegedly operated individually without a registered company.
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