Kenyan charged with defrauding American citizen of Ksh32.3M

A Kenyan man, Willis Onyango Wesonga, alias Marcus Wesonga, has been charged with several counts, including conspiracy to defraud an American citizen of Ksh32,314,500, contrary to Section 317 of the Penal Code.

According to the charge sheet, Onyango, jointly with others not in court, obtained USD 250,500, equivalent to KSh 32,314,500, from one John Sodipo of the Sodipo Law Group, promising to smelt and ship 495 kg of gold from Kenya to Dubai.

“Between January 1, 2026, and February 3, 2026, at Nairobi City County within the Republic of Kenya, jointly with others not before court, with intent to defraud, obtained from John Sodipo of Sodipo Law Group a sum of USD 250,500 by falsely pretending that you were in a position to smelt and ship 495 kg of gold from Kenya to Dubai, a fact you knew to be false,” part of the charge sheet reads.

Wesonga has also been charged with obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 313 of the Penal Code and acquisition of proceeds of crime contrary to Section 4(a) as read with Section 16(1) of the proceeds of crime and anti-money laundering.

The prosecution states that between the same dates and months, Wesonga received the Ksh32.3 million through a National bank account in the name of MOAC Advocates LLP whilst at the time he knew that the said amount was proceeds of crime.

On the fourth count, Wesonga has been charged with the use of proceeds of crime contrary to section 4(b) as read with section 16(1) of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act No. 9 of 2009.

Appearing before Milimani Resident Magistrate Irene Thamara on Monday, February 16, 2026, Wesonga denied all the charges, and a plea of not guilty was entered.

Magistrate Thamara released the accused on a Ksh1 million bond with two contact sureties, or an alternative of a cash bail of Ksh350,000.

The pre-trial of the matter has been scheduled for March 2, 2026.