Four charged with defrauding foreigner Ksh4.6M in gold scam
By Bernice.Mbugua, February 3, 2022
Four people were on Thursday, February 3, charged with conspiring to defraud a Botswana businessman Ksh4.6 million by falsely pretending they were in a position to sell 10 kilograms of gold.
Masamba Yusuf Libando, Hillary Wanjiru Mwangi, Joseph Muinde Musyoki and Hosea Ruto were charged alongside their company Masamba Zion Mountain Limited before Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi.
According to the charge sheet, the four jointly with others not before the court conspired to defraud Richard Chibanda, a director of Incorporated Delta PTU from Botswana by falsely pretending they were carrying on a genuine gold business.
Libando alongside his company Masamba Zion Mountain faced a second count of obtaining money by false pretences.
The court heard that on December 6, 2021, within Nairobi County, he jointly with others not before the court obtained from the said businessman USD 46700 (Ksh4.6 million) by falsely pretending he was in a position to sell and export 10 kilograms of gold to him.
The four denied the charges and their lawyer asked for reasonable cash bail saying they were still innocent until proven guilty.
“These are just mere employees. They are not a flight risk and they will not interfere with the investigations,” the court heard.
The magistrate released them on a bond of Ksh2 million or a cash bail of Ksh1 million.
The case will be mentioned on February 17 for pretrial.