Detectives have arrested 11 suspects and seized 350 kilograms of counterfeit gold in Spring Valley Estate, Nairobi.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 30, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the operation followed a report from a victim who was defrauded of Ksh70.6 million ($546,000) in a fake gold scheme.
Acting on credible intelligence, the agency said detectives tracked the suspects to their hideout and placed them under arrest.
"The arrest follows a report received from a victim who had been defrauded of USD 546,000 in a fraudulent gold scheme. Acting on credible intelligence, the detectives trailed the suspects to their hideout in the Spring Valley estate, where they executed a swift arrest," the DCI said.
Read More
Following the arrests, detectives recovered a haul of fake gold weighing 305kg, a weighing machine and an electronic gold tester.
According to the DCI, investigators also found a dust coat bearing the Ministry of Mining logo and a collection of documents.
"Upon search, detectives recovered a haul of fake gold weighing 305kg, along with a weighing machine and an electronic gold tester, commonly known as a Tester Gun.
"Also recovered were assorted documents and a dust coat bearing the Ministry of Mining logo, which the suspects are believed to be using to gain the trust of unsuspecting individuals while executing their fraudulent schemes," the DCI added.
The suspects include seven Kenyans, namely Allan Zephaniah Onyango, Nicodemus Okoth, Phillip Onyango, Elmad Ochola, Shem Omollo, Edward Leonard Ochieng, and James Jeremiah Akumu.
They were apprehended alongside two Congolese nationals, Nfundiko Kamira and Lukabaya Mulamba, and two Cameroonian citizens, Ibrahim Nzamgou and Mike Fouapon.
All suspects are currently being held at the Capitol Hill Police Station, where they are undergoing processing pending their arraignment.
"Meanwhile, the seized items are safely secured as exhibits, as detectives delve deeper into what appears to be an elaborate, well-networked scam," the DCI stated.
