By Anderson Ojwang
A senior Human resource officer at Homa Bay county government on Sunday allegedly abducted and assaulted a journalist over a story about fake employment scandal in the county.
Beatrice Akugo, a human resource officer at the county told Western Insight that she lured Habil Onyango, through a friend to a hotel in the town, where she assaulted him.
“I slapped him severally and I can tell you he had a swollen face. I called one of the doctors based at Homa Bay hospital who came and viewed him where we were. The doctor, said he sustained soft tissues injuries, and he left and brough him medication, but Habil declined to take,” she said.
Habil reported the incident with Homa bay police, and it was entered on OB number 25/14/25 as assault.
Habil claimed Akugo and her accomplishes took his phones and laptop, deleted his chats and wrote and posted an apology to Akugo in his page.
“I was abducted, tortured and they posted an apology on my face book page. They wanted me to write another story but the people who read the apology got concerned and started looking for me,” he said.
Homa Bay journalist have condemned the attack and have held a peaceful demonstration to the police station to demand the arrest of the four suspects.
“We are heading to the police station to demand the arrest of the four suspects. These suspects nearly killed Habil, we demand justice for journalist,” said Erick Odek.
Akugo denied abducting the journalist but said she was annoyed by the story which implicated her as accomplice in the fake employment scam.
“I was enraged that Habil wrote my name as an accomplice. I slapped him and some goons who were at the hotel also wanted to join in, but I restrained them. We decided to change location to a different place to avoid attracting attention of people in the hotel,” she said.
Akugo confirmed a commissioner with the Homa bay public service Mr. Awuonda Oreta called her to find out why she had abducted the journalist and that the matter had been reported to the police.
“Yes, commissioner Oreta called me and asked why I had abducted and tortured the journalist. I told him that, I had not abducted him and even gave him the phone to speak to Habil.
My friends who I was with got enraged why Habil had called to claim that he was abducted and being tortured. They chased him away from where we were,” she said.
But Oreta said he was alarmed by the post on the Habil timeline and decided to make a fallow up on the journalist safety.
“What I read on the Facebook alarmed me and I decided to make a follow up if everything was right. And I think our intervention saved the day,” he said.
Last week we Exclusively reported how In Homa Bay, numerous young people and their parents have been swindled, often without any hope of actual recruitment. The latest victim, Jemima Anyango Simwa, hails from Oyugis town, where she was duped out of a staggering Ksh 170,000 by someone she knew.
On May 1, 2023, she received a letter that falsely claimed to be from the County Public Service Board, stating she had been appointed as a Revenue Clerk II, despite not attending any interviews.
The letter read, “I am pleased to inform you that following the successful interviews held for the above position, the PSB has approved your appointment to the position of Revenue Clerk II. This appointment takes effect from May 1, 2023.”
The letter outlined her duties and responsibilities and stated that she would be placed in Job Group “H” with a monthly salary ranging from Ksh 25,470 to Ksh 33,950. Additionally, she was entitled to a house allowance of Ksh 3,950, a commuter allowance of Ksh 4,000 per month, and a leave allowance of Ksh 4,000.
In December 2023, Jemima received another letter, purportedly from the County’s Department of Health and Medical Services, instructing her to report for duty as a Clerical Officer (II) under a specific reference number.
The letter demanded that she report to the Chief Officer of the Department by January 6, 2024, for further instructions.
This letter was also allegedly signed by County Secretary Professor Benard Muok, who heads the public service. On January 12, 2024, Jemima received a posting letter from the Department of Health Services, supposedly signed by Chief Officer Dr. Kevin Osuri.
The fake letter stated, “You have been posted from the County Health Office to Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital to enhance service delivery.”
Due to the travel costs from Oyugis to Homa Bay, Jemima asked her supposed link to arrange for a transfer to a facility closer to her town.
She then received a transfer letter, again purportedly signed by Dr. Osuri, transferring her from the County Teaching and Referral Hospital to Ogamo Health Center in Rachuonyo South Sub County.
Records of M-Pesa transactions show that she paid the fraudulent individual, Reginal Owaka, in installments.
Owaka acknowledged accepting this money but claimed he refunded Ksh 70,000 to Jemima. Additionally, he reported that she reversed another Ksh 30,000 demand for a full refund.
Beatrice Aguko, an accomplice of Owaka who works at the County Government and is a friend of Jemima’s, confirmed receiving Ksh 70,000 from the victim but only forwarded Ksh 35,000, as they had agreed.
Aguko stated that the withheld amount was meant to cover expenses she incurred while assisting the victim, such as transport and accommodation.
Both Professor Muok and Dr. Osuri confirmed that the letters were fake, adding that they had received numerous complaints from unsuspecting people being lured by false job opportunities.
“These letters are fake, and this is not the first time we’ve received such reports. Many people have been deceived; I urge our residents never to fall for such scams. They should follow the official process if any vacancies are announced,” he stated.
The Secretary has directed the investigative team within the Department of Inspectorate to look into these allegations and ensure action is taken against the culprits.
The matter has also been reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, which has promised to conduct an investigation.
On March 26, 2025, the Homa Bay County Government, through the Acting Chief Executive Officer Ruth Aloo, halted the salaries of 104 employees following a scrutiny of 158 officers who were not on the manual payroll but were integrated into the new Human Resource Information System, as outlined in a letter signed by the County Secretary.
Akugo said Owaka was her neighbor and claimed that she had told him to stop scamming people over fake employment.
“I know Owaka and some of employees at the county have been behind the scam. It is not my duty to report the scam. There are several cases and fake letters and PIN that have been given out, it is the duty of the investigation wing of the county to curb on the vice,” she said.
