Suspects in Sh1b fake gold scandal freed on bond
By Nancy.Gitonga, September 13, 2023
The court yesterday released the 13 suspects arrested over Sh1 billion fake gold scam as detectives lodge a manhunt for self-styled businessman Joseph Waswa believed to be at the centre of the alleged fraud.
As the suspects, including a DCI officer were freed on cash bails ranging from Sh100,000 and Sh20,000 by Milimani Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe pending investigations, it emerged that DCI detectives are now hunting for Waswa, who is the mastermind of the fake gold scam after he went under since Friday.
The court was told that Waswa and Samuel Wakaba of Melpa Limited who had rented the house where the fake $4,680,000 and fake gold metals were recovered are still at large and are believed to be armed and dangerous thus the need for their arrest and recovery of the firearms as they may interfere with the ongoing investigations and witness intimidations.
In the latest case, the suspects including Waswa and Maina are being investigated for defrauding a Tunisian businessman.
Paraded in court
It is alleged police are seeking to arrest the main suspect, since most of the accused paraded in court were cooks, cleaners and junior staff found at the residence of Waswa.
Njoroge has told court that investigations so far show that the complainant was contacted from Tunisia by Waswa, claiming he had a consignment of gold valued at Sh1 billion that he wanted to sell to him.
Waswa told the foreigner that the consignment was being held at a warehouse at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Nairobi.
The case against the suspects namely Cameroonian Nelson Fru Che and Liberaan Ronald Johnson, Constable Festo Akula Wamwayi, David Walumoli Misiko, Lenace Wakachuka, Rahma Abdi Hassan, Joseph Gikonyo, Stephen Robert Andere, Alice Kavata, Flevian Omwoyo, Ian Wekesa Milongo, Duncan Muchai Ndichu and Nabel Suleiman will be mentioned on Friday week.