Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, indicated that the government would look into the case of a Kenyan man, James Kariuki, jailed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over Ksh81 million fraud.
Appearing before the National Assembly, Mudavadi, who doubles up as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, told the members of parliament that his docket would take up the matter to ensure Kariuki gets legal representation.
“Mr. James Kariuki was arrested in a cyber cafe in Dubai, undertaking fraudulent activities together with others,” Mudavadi stated.
“We will nevertheless take up the matter again with our mission to see what more can be done in enabling Kariuki to have a legal support,” he added.
On August 13, 2020, UAE authorities arrested Kariuki alongside other individuals, accusing them of electronic fraud. Complicating matters further, a separate fraud scheme surfaced in early 2021 while Kariuki was incarcerated.
This incident involved the theft from two UAE companies. Although the second fraudulent activity occurred while Kariuki was serving his prison sentence for the initial conviction, UAE courts held him responsible for the crime.
MPs raise concerns
Mudavadi’s response came after Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba raised concerns over Kariuki’s issue.
Passaris informed the CS that Kariuki was implicated in other fraud cases while serving in the UAE.
“I know there is a case of James Kariuki in the UAE who was arrested for fraud. Even when he was in jail, his ID was being used to defraud other organisations,” Passaris stated.
Wamuchomba echoed Passaris’ sentiments, indicating that Kariuki was arraigned while serving his current term after his identity was used to commit another wire fraud.
She lamented that Kariuki could not raise a bond due to the lack of proper documentation.
“I understand there are many of our young people in the UAE who went there on the invitation of electronic jobs that have ended up being used for international electronic fraud under coercion by some foreigners, and I understand James is only one victim that is registered and has been arraigned, but there are very many,” Wamuchomba detailed.
“Can the Prime Cabinet Secretary assist us in knowing whether the ministry is aware of many Kenyans in the UAE in cells, and how can we help James and many others that have not been brought to our attention?” she posed
“I happen to have contacts of James and the family; I can share them with you,” she added.
Mudavadi say is a victim
While responding to the issue, Mudavadi shared a personal experience indicating that he was once a victim of identity theft. Mudavadi noted he was forced to write to the country and share his travel documents to prove that he had never travelled there.
“I have had this kind of experience myself, where at one time my visa card was being used in a country that I had not stepped into. I had to write officially to the institution to confirm to them by giving them my details of my passport travels to confirm that I was not in that country,” Mudavadi stated.
“So once your electronic details are taken, it is possible that somebody can continue those details for their personal gains. So it is important that we are all vigilant on this.”