Samuel Githaiga Kiambati, a suspect reported to have obtained over Ksh29.8 million from an unsuspecting victim in a fake gold deal will be arraigned in court following his arrest on Friday 21.
According to the DCI, Special Service Unit detectives launched a manhunt for the suspect after an arrest warrant was issued by a Kiambu court.
“The suspect approached his target in 2016 with appeals to facilitate the said gold business, promising that the amount of money realized from the sale of gold (approximated at sh two billion) would be channeled towards supporting projects of various branches of a renown pentecostal church,” DCI said.
However, as soon as Githaiga received the Ksh29.8 million he dealt his victims with empty promises as to when profits would hit his (the victims) bank account.
“Githaiga who had since relocated to Narumoru within Nyeri county, was flushed out of his hideout and escorted to a police custody in Nairobi,” DCI said.
The suspect will plead to charges of ‘obtaining money by false pretences’ which contravenes section 313 of the penal code.
A report by an international agency has placed Kenya on the spot over cases of gold smuggling and illicit trade.
According to the report by the e Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GITOC) there is evidence of senior politicians and foreign nationals being involved in the illegal mining, processing and trade of gold.
The report has also placed Eastleigh as Nairobi’s main gold hub. The market is largely illicit, with gold dealerships disguised as general merchandise outlets or private offices.
The illicit trade is facilitated by rampant corruption in the area, with law enforcement reported to be involved in protection and extortion rackets. The area is also known to be a hub for other types of illicit activity, including human trafficking and the storage and trafficking of small arms.
