Businesswoman charged over alleged Sh13m overseas jobs scam in Eldoret

Lenah Jelagat Too and lawyer Christopher Mitei before the magistrate’s court in Eldoret  /MATHEWS NDANYI

A businesswoman linked to a Sh13 million overseas job scam has been charged in Eldoret court with defrauding job seekers.

Lenah Jelagat Too, 37, appeared before senior principal magistrate Kesse Cheronoh, where she denied charges of obtaining money by false pretences contrary to the law.

The accused runs a recruitment company in Eldoret city. 

Jelagat is accused of collecting cash ranging from Sh300,000 to Sh3.8 million from employment seekers in exchange for promises of well-paying jobs abroad.

The victims were promised jobs in nursing, caregiving, security, and hotel housekeeping with monthly salaries ranging between Sh150,000 and Sh500,000. They were left stranded without travel documents after the suspects vanished.

Jelagat is alleged to have instructed job seekers to pay the sums through a bank account she operated. Some payments were allegedly made through an M-Pesa line registered in her family name.

To gain their trust, she allegedly told them they would also receive free meals and accommodation from their prospective employers.

The court granted her a Sh1 million bond with an alternative Sh400,000 bail after she pleaded for lenient bond terms to enable her to start refunding her clients.

The charge sheet shows the offences were committed on various dates between March 1 and November 30, 2025.

Jelagat is said to have taken Sh3.3 million from Risper Jepkosgei and another Sh3.8 million from Weasley Kiprono Ngeny by falsely claiming she could secure them jobs in New Zealand.

Another victim, Gilbert Kipchumba Komen, allegedly parted with Sh300,000 after being promised a security job in New Zealand.

Isaa Kimutai, a diploma graduate in Nursing from Kenya Medical College, and Urbano Chelagat Melly both paid Sh700,000 and Sh300,000 respectively to secure the scam jobs.

The charge sheet shows that other victims, including Emily Cherono Kurgat and Daniel Kipchirchir Malakwen, both paid Sh932,000 and Sh1,050,000, while Everline Chelimo Maiyo paid Sh340,000 to be connected to the jobs.

After collecting the cash, Jelagat allegedly placed the victims on a waiting list before disappearing.

She was arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Kapsabet, Nandi County, on December 23, 2025, and transferred to Eldoret Central Police Station in Uasin Gishu County.

Her lawyer, Christopher Arap Mitei, told the court she had initiated dialogue with her clients with a view to refunding them in phases.

“I do not see this case going to a full trial because I have started the process of reimbursing my clients,” Jelagat said, expressing hope that all victims would be repaid before the fraud case is heard.

The matter has been scheduled for pre-trial directions on February 9, 2026.