31 Gold fraudsters accused of defrauding two Dubai-based businessmen over USD 54,300 in a fake gold scam have been released on Bond.
Appearing before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego for bond ruling,the accused were granted stringent terms in consideration od the seriousness of the offense and amount involved.
In the first count,the accused were released on Sh 100,000 Bond or a cash bail of Sh 50,000 each.
In count two,they were released on a bond of Sh 3Million plus 2 Surety of similar amounts or a cash bail of Sh 1.5M plus 2 contact persons.
In the last count,they were released on Sh 100,000 bond or a cash bail of Sh 50,000
Pretrial will be on 27/11/2024.
The suspects are connected to the scamming web in Runda, Ridgeways and Industrial Area parts of Nairobi were arraigned in court and detained pending bail ruling.
They are said to have been masquerading as genuine dealers in the precious metal, the suspects had on diverse dates in September, 2024 paraded coated off base metals to hoodwink and lure the two foreigners into a business deal, thereafter holing up with the thousands of dollars.
After making several trips to the country and into the opulent offices in which the scammers operated, the victims grew suspicious of the excuses made on why the 35kg of gold they had bought was not being exported to Dubai as agreed, thereby reporting the suspected fraud at DCI.
Appearing before magistrate Alego,the Suspects lead by Josephine Okong’o,Mercy Atieno,Brenda Nekesa,Mercy Awuor,Brian Ochieng among others denied all the charges.
Court was informed that they committed the offense on August 24,2024 and October 19,2024 at Nairobi pretending that they would sell 35kgs of Gold to Integrous Gold and Diamond Trading LLC.
They are said to have scammed businessmen Sonali Purbia Malvinas and Mohamed Adel.
In the second count,the two were charged with obtaining the said money by false pretenses against the law and in the last count they were charged with being in possession of papers intended to resemble and pass as currency notes.
They are accused that on November 5,2024 at House Number 581,Glory Valley within Runda Estate,they had in their possession papers resembling US 2,500 in twenty five,one hundred denominations bearing the same serial number as the originals but knowing they were fake.
