Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-04-11 15:57:37
A prime suspect in a series of fraudulent activities targeting local and international gold traders made an appearance in Milimani Law Courts after his arrest on Tuesday evening. The 28-year-old individual is facing allegations of defrauding a businessman of Ksh35 million in a counterfeit gold scheme that took place between July 13 and October 18, 2023.
The suspect is accused of luring the victim into a fake deal involving the purchase and exportation of 100kg of gold to Dubai, under the pretense of covering transportation and insurance fees. After the victim transferred approximately US $250,000 (around Ksh32.5 million) for the transaction, they received nine gold bars as collateral. However, subsequent testing conducted by the Ministry of Mining revealed that none of the bars contained any actual gold.
Following the fraudulent transaction, the suspect fled the scene, leaving the victim in dire financial straits and necessitating law enforcement intervention. Acting on intelligence, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) conducted a covert operation at Crystal Spring Apartments in Lavington, Nairobi, where they apprehended the suspect while he was in possession of his Toyota Prado vehicle. Various pieces of evidence, including radio sets and cheque books, were seized from the vehicle.
The suspect was presented before the Kibera Law Courts on Wednesday, April 10, where he faced charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and obtaining money by false pretense. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and has been remanded until Friday, April 14, 2024, awaiting the determination of his bond application.
Prosecutors objected to the suspect’s release on bond, citing his previous criminal record which included an alleged involvement in a robbery with violence case. In that incident, the suspect and two accomplices were accused of robbing a foreign couple of over USD 90,000 (approximately Ksh12 million) during a gold-related business transaction. The robbery took place on October 28, 2023, when the suspects lured an Australian man and his Ugandan wife to an office in the Runda suburbs before violently robbing them and abandoning them in Nairobi’s CBD.
Following an extensive manhunt, the trio was captured at the Social House Nairobi Hotel in Lavington and charged with robbery with violence at Kibera Law Courts on November 9, 2023. They were released on a Ksh1 million bond with an alternative of Ksh300,000 cash bail pending trial.
The case underscores the importance of vigilance and due diligence in business transactions, especially in high-value deals like gold trading. Law enforcement agencies remain committed to combating fraudulent activities and protecting the interests of individuals and businesses in the industry.
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