The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has recommended the prosecution of a woman deemed “untouchable”.
DCI wants Judy Jepchirchir, owner of First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency, charged with fraud and obtaining monies from unsuspecting Kenyans under false pretense.
The agency led by Amin Mohamed sent its probe file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) last week with recommendations to charge her.
Jepchirchir has snubbed summons by the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare at least thrice. The most recent one being last week.
A Parliamentary committee has powers similar to those of a High Court yet no action has been taken against the woman behind an overseas job scandal. Committees also have power to issue warrants of arrest against persons who fail to comply with summons.
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Article 125 of the Constitution gives Parliament and its Committees the power to summon any person to appear before it for the purpose of giving evidence or providing information.
Jepchirchir appeared before the West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor-led Labour Committee on April 27, June 8 and August 10 but has since ignored three other summonses.
She declined to present herself before the committee on June 22, July 31 and August 17. The committee has summoned her on July 24.
Members of the committee said Jepchirchir enjoys protection from the CS Florence Bore-led ministry of Labour.
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Bore had in the recent past offered to mediate between Jepchirchir and the victims who lost millions of shillings.
Appearing before the committee, Bore who has been spotted with Jepchirchir during State functions, said First Choice was not a registered agency.
“We have not registered the company and the company is not on the NEA website,” said the CS.
Lawmakers then asked the CS to place a notice in the newspapers informing the public that the agency was not registered. She is yet to place the advert.
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But in April, Jepchirchir told legislators that the agency had helped at least 7,000 Kenyans secure employment in Canada, UK, Qatar, Poland and Dubai.
She also claimed that First Choice was a duly registered agency with an NEA license, certificate of registration and had been operational for four years.
Despite the allegations, Jepchirchir continues to roam freely and has been rubbing shoulders with those in power.
In June, for example, Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua introduced her as Kenya’s ambassador for the ministry’s Kazi Majuu initiative.
The event was graced by President William Ruto. He was flanked by CSs Bore and Simon Chelugui.
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