Alleged mastermind of Ksh.2.85B Kileleshwa gold scam arraigned

Kelvin Mwaura Ngotho, the alleged mastermind of the Ksh.2.85 billion gold scam involving two Malaysian nationals in December 2023, was on Wednesday arraigned at the Milimani Law courts to face charges related to the purported scheme.

Ngotho was arrested by detectives from the DCI's Operations Support Unit at the same courthouse premises on Tuesday, shortly after attending the hearing for another gold scam case for which he is currently out on bond.  

In this particular case, Mwaura faced charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and attempted felony. Mwaura, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, was freed after posting a bond of Ksh.3 million or an alternative cash bail of Ksh.1 million.

He was subsequently arrested after his release.

"Operations Support detectives have been pursuing Mwaura since December 27, 2023, being the mastermind of the near-success $19,000,000 gold scam deal orchestrated by a 8-member gang," the DCI said in a statement.

"Mwaura was the tenant of the Lavington-based premises in which the gang operated from, having entered a tenancy agreement with the landlord to use the property as a residential house. On the day the fake gold deal was to be sealed, detectives stormed the house where Mwaura's seven accomplices were rounded up but he managed to escape."

Mwaura's alleged accomplices were arrested on December 27 last year whilst in the midst of a transactional meeting to defraud Malaysian nationals, Halid Mohamed and Yaacob Zulkannaaub bin Ramali.

The two foreigners landed in the country two days earlier following an invitation by Rock Africa miners operated by the suspects made up by six Kenyans and one Congolese national.

The seven include; Didier Muke, Brian Otiende, Patrick Otieno, Mark Kabete, Ken Kiboi, Joshua Ngandi and Charles Cincent Njerenga.

In the well-choreographed scheme, the suspects set up an operational base in a house in Kileleshwa, with fully furnished office-style rooms to dupe the unsuspecting foreign nationals.

Yacoob and Ramali were to meet the seven on December 27, to finalize on the first shipment of 50 kg refined gold, per kilogram going for Ksh.7.2 million.

The 500-kilogram gold amounting to Ksh.2.85 billion was to be sourced from the Democratic republic of Congo.

A few minutes into the meeting, DCI detectives stormed in disrupting the session.

Astonishingly, the suspects had hired a G4S security team to keep a guard at the main entrance as they engaged the Malaysia nationals. The G4S guards were likewise arrested.