NAIROBI, Kenya, July 21 – The Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) has frozen assets associated with Judy Chepchirchir, who is the director of the First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency Limited, which is accused of defrauding Kenyans with fake overseas jobs.
ARA Acting DG Mark Ogonji on Gazette Notice prohibited Chepchirchir or any of her associates from selling, transferring, or disposing of cars, land, and property.
“2. THAT the Respondent be and is hereby directed to surrender the original logbooks of the motor vehicles and the motor vehicles specified in order 1 above to the Applicant forthwith but not later than 14 days from the date of issuance of this order,” Ogonji said in the notice.
“3. THAT in the event the Respondent fails to surrender the above motor vehicles as specified in order 2 above, the Applicant be at liberty to seize, detain and take custody of the motor vehicles specified therein,” he added.
“4. THAT an order be issued directing the Director General of the National Transport and Safety Authority to register a caveat against the records of each of the motor vehicles specified in order 1 above.”
Chepchirchir’s two land blocks in Eldoret have also been placed under caveat, meaning she cannot sell or transfer them to any other person or entity.
“7. THAT order be and is issued to the 2nd Interested Party to register a caveat in its record in respect to Unit No. W55 A Three-Bedroom Apartment in Athi River under the project name GWG5 under construction by the 2nd Interested Party and to provide the sale agreement, statement of account and any other.”
First Choice Recruitment has been under scrutiny for allegedly defrauding job seekers through false promises of overseas employment, including countries such as Qatar.
Last year, ARA opened probe on 27 accounts linked to the key suspects in First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency Limited for possible financial misconduct, including money laundering and fraud.
In 2023, the Senate Committee ordered the agency to refund Sh1 billion allegedly paid by thousands in Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties who were promised job opportunities abroad.
