Mungatana narrates how he lost millions of shillings to scammer

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana yesterday narrated in court how a Chad national Abdoulaye Tamba Kouro conned him of Sh76 million in a get-quick-rich scheme.

In his emotional testimony Mungatana gave a blow-by-blow count before Milimani Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi about how Kouro, an alleged traditional healer promised to double the money.

Mungatana said that Kouro, who was introduced to him by a friend, had asked him for an initial investment of Sh500,000, which he doubled as promised.

The second investment of Sh5 million was also said to have yielded Sh10 million after six months.

“He called me personally a few months later and told me not to bring small monies. I gave him one million US dollars. At the time, the exchange rate was 76,” Mungatana said. The senator said all transactions were done in cash, and Kouro insisted that the monies be delivered in US dollars.

“I sold my property and shares. I borrowed money from friends and relatives. There were cars in my late wife’s name. I took short-term loans over the log books,” he said.

Mungatana testified that Kouro switched his phone off and vanished shortly after receiving the money, putting his children’s education and the wellbeing of his family in jeopardy.

“My wife found it hard to believe that I had been conned. She said that I must have put up another woman at our Karen home,” he narrated.

The former Garsen MP said that he trusted Kouro because their previous dealings had inspired him with confidence.