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Hundreds of victims who were allegedly conned by an online trader of over Sh2.4 billion yesterday thronged Eldoret Central Police Station to record their statements as detectives continue with investigations.

Fraud detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters recorded the statements from the “investors” including university lecturers, lawyers, gospel artistes, teachers, clerics and their church members drawn from various denominations.

The victims in their statements indicated how they were defrauded and the amount of money they lost to Ambrose Makech Abuti.
Makech, who is now a wanted man by the police detectives, is said to have established an online company named Springmak Investment Limited in Eldoret town five years ago.

Some of the fraud victims who travelled from as far as Trans Nzoia, Kapsowar town in Elgeyo Marakwet and Kabarnet town in Baringo County started lining up at the Eldoret DCI offices as early as 8.30 am.

Church members

One of the victims recounted how their Bishop (named withheld) lured the church members out of Sh100 million to invest in the online company with a promise of good returns.

Talking to the press after recording her statement she said that their Bishop even introduced Makech in the church during morning service early this year.

“We believed in our bishop and gave him the green light to invest our church money in the online trading company in hope of reaping big profit after six month for our personal investment,” she said.

Another pastor whose church is based in Kimumu estate along Eldoret-Iten road claimed that members of his church lost more than Sh150 million in the botched online company.

“A lawyer friend of mine in Eldoret town introduced me to this online investment and I shared the message with my church members. Little die I know it was a fraud game,” said the pastor who sought anonymity.

A senior officer who declined to be named told the People Daily said that they have so far recorded statements from over 100 victims among them university dons and primary and secondary teachers.

“As you can see, more people are still flocking in to record their statements and that is why we have directed the victim to get into groups of 20 so that we speed up the process,” said the officer.

Online trader

The aggrieved investors are counting their losses after the suspected online trader disappeared with their money said to be over Sh2.4 billion.

William Getumbe, an artist who lost Sh1 million to the trader said they will be holding protests every Monday to compel police detectives to speed up the arrest of the online trader.

“We will continue to pile pressure on the police to ensure they arrest and arraign the suspect in court so that we can get our money that we invested in his company,” said Getumbe.

The artist claimed that they were promised a monthly interest rate of 18 per cent with the chance to withdraw the funds after six months.

He claimed that it was the promise of high returns that scores of people including Bishops and their members rushed to borrow loans and invested in the botched online company.

After enticing the investors with the promise of substantial returns, the company quickly collapsed and the man behind the scheme disappeared leaving his clients in financial distress.

Another victim, Charles Kiplang’at said that he invested Sh3 million in the company adding that he has now been reduced to a beggar after his two children dropped out of college due to lack of fees.

“The Sh3 million I invested in the online company was proceeds from the maize which my wife and I sold to the millers. I do not know where to turn for help because even the police have become helpless,” stated Kiplangat.

Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Benjamin Mwanthi exonerated the police from blame regarding the woes which are facing the online fraud victims saying that they should have done due diligence before investing their money in the said online trading company.

He added: “Do not invest your money in something you have no background or knowledge about. When the deal is too good, think twice.”

Mwanthi assured the victims that police were in hot pursuit of the run-away online trader noting that it was just a matter of time before they caught up with him to account for his action.

“It is not that police are doing nothing to bring to book the suspect linked to the online trading company as claimed by a section of the victims. We are in fact on top of things and sooner rather than later the results will be seen,” assured Mwanthi.