Two Kenyans Charged with Defrauding a US National of Sh130 Million

Two suspects believed to have defrauded an American national of $1 million (Sh130 million) in a fake gold scam have been arraigned in a Nairobi court.

Nicholas Otieno Ndolo, the director of DSI Mining and Minerals Ltd, and Thomas Otieno Ngoe, the director of AFRICORP Legal Consultancy, were charged with fraud at Kibera law courts on Wednesday.

The two were arrested in Nairobi following a complaint lodged by the American citizen at Capitol Hill police station, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said.

This is after the victim wired $1 million from his account at the Northern Trust Bank based in the United States to AFRICOP’s Equity bank account, after a deal to buy gold from Ndolo was sealed. 

Ndolo later sent several documents through WhatsApp to the complainant as proof of sale of gold, including the nomination of Thomas Otieno Ngoe as the legal consultant.

“That marked the beginning of the would-be investor’s tribulations as his endless pleas to at least have a view of the precious metal he had bought were not met before the duo became unreachable,” DCI noted.

This prompted the foreigner to file a report at Capitol Hill police station and a search for the two suspects was launched, leading to their arrest in Kilimani and Lavington areas.

The two denied the charges and were released on a Sh500,000 cash bail plus one contact person. They were also ordered to report to the investigating officer every Monday and Thursday. 

The case will be mentioned on April 3rd, 2023.