Two suspects were yesterday arraigned at a Kibera court in connection with swindling a foreigner of gold worth USD 123 million equivalent to Sh 16 billion.
Nicholas Otieno Ndolo and Thomas Otieno Ngoe appeared before senior principal magistrate Charles Mwaniki.The gold to be purchased weighed 3000 kilograms.
Police had applied to be given 14 days to hold them as they complete with their investigations under an affidavit that was presented in court by the prosecution side.
However the two suspects were released on a cash bail of Sh500 000 and ordered to report to the investigating officer whenever they are required to pending charges.
Police was given a duration of 14 days to appeal the ruling if dissatisfied with it.
The suspects who according to the police affidavit were arrested on Tuesday after a complaint was lodged by the foreigner that he send the money to the first respondent Ndolo through Africorp legal consultants account using his USA Northern trust bank.
Ndolo too according to the affidavit threatened to deport the complainant
”It`s after the complainant had send the money that he realised that some of the documents the respondent had provided were not genuine such as the customs entry indicated on the declaration form dated March 08,2023 that he contacted the accused who began to avoid meeting him”added the affidavit by Inspector of police Alexander Makomah.
The complianant after receiving the threats according to Inspector Makomah reported the threats at Capitol hill police station and after his invstigation he told the court that he discovered that the money which had been wired to the accused through Equity bank he establsiehd that the account was being used by the second accused person Ngoe.
Ngoe according to the police affidavit had send the money to other accounts which police want to investigare them.
During an operation to arrest the suspects, police say in their affidavit that a firearm was recovered in the vehicle that the second accused person Ngoe was using.
”The firearm that was recovered is suspected to have been used to commit crimes and is therefore subject to forensic analysis and also to ascertain how it was acquired and if the suspect is a licensed gun holder,”added Inspector Makomah.
Lawyer Apollo Mboya who led the defense team had objected to them being detained for more days saying that they were not a flight risk and they would cooperate with police within the time they are required to give them information regarding the case.
The mention of the case will be on April 3.
