By Timothy Mugo

Traders in Sori town, Nyatike have raised an alarm over a cartel collecting money from unsuspecting traders in pretense of offering them areas to construct stalls.

Chairperson of the small traders of Sori Jamesmile Ochieng’ said members from the cartel who posed as county government officials have collected over a hundred thousand shillings from traders.

“These people have gone round the town and have managed to register over one thousand people with each required to part with one thousand and fifty shillings,” Mr. Ochieng’ said.

Ochieng said that the rogue attendants had promised the business people areas to put up their stalls that they would use to run their businesses within the Sori town as has been the case in other urban areas.

He explained that despite that huge number of people being registered by the cartel the market area can only accommodate up to one hundred people a fact that made the traders doubt the authenticity of the said people.

The enraged chairperson said that the unsuspecting traders were easily duped since the cartel was in possession of a rubber stamp with county government insignia.

“What is more frustrating is that those business people who fell prey to the cartel are in possession of duly stamped receipts with county government,” he exclaimed.

The business people have called on the county government alongside the Criminal investigation department (CID) to look into the issue and help apprehend the cartel that is now in hiding.

“The county government let this happen under its watch, we are thus calling upon the relevant authorities of the government to investigate this unfortunate happening. We also appeal to the CID to help arrest these thieves so that justice is served,” Ocheing’ appealed.

Ochieng however cautioned the traders not to engage into suspicious deals in future but investigate issues to determine their authenticity, which is a safe option for them.