A controversial Businessman Kevin Obia aka The Don has been sentenced to one year in prison for swindling an Australian man of Sh13.7 million in a fake gold scandal.
Obia, who also goes by the name Kevin Kleigh, was found guilty of swindling Christian Gallati while promising to sell him 7kg of gold.
Defending himself in court, Obia stated that he had never been in the gold business neither has he ever handled gold bars.
Obia has also been given the option of paying Sh300,000 fine.
The case dates back to 2015 where Obia, together with Jared Otieno who has been missing obtained Euros 127,000 (Sh13.7 million) at the Hilton Hotel, Nairobi, from Christian Gallati by falsely pretending he would sell him 7kgs of gold.
“I have never handled gold bars, neither am I in the gold business. I have never engaged in that illegal gold trade,” he said
Obia also faces a second count of trying to defraud Gallati of Sh54.1million on May 18, 2015 in the pretext that he was in a position to sell him gold weighing 13kg.
He, however, claimed he had been framed by police. The case continues.
During the ruling delivery, magistrate Francis Andayi said the victims were also conducting business without license which is unlawful.
Obia who was working with another suspect identified as Jared Otieno, met Gallati at the Hilton Hotel where he handed him KSh 13.7 million.
