Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang linked to gold scam as three suspects arrested

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has linked Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang to the gold scam syndicate that involved an attempt to defraud a South African national of over Ksh.23 million.

In a statement posted on their official X (formerly Twitter) handle, DCI named S Chesang as a suspect in the scam that led to Saturday's raid on a palatial home in Runda Estate, Nairobi.

The first-term legislator has come out to defend his name over the claims, terming DCI’s report as frivolous, vindictive and prejudicial which aims at assassinating his character.

The Senator stated that he has no knowledge of the three persons who were arrested after police ransacked the house in search of the precious commodity after a South African national, Ralph Manyaka, reported the case at DCI headquarters.

Chesang, who described himself as a law abiding citizen, claims the DCI are being used to malign his names by his political opponents and says his legal team will on Monday issue a demand letter to the investigative agency.

Meanwhile, detectives probing the case are pursuing three more suspects who are believed to be the masterminds of the fraudulent deal.

Those being sought are Mohammed Kamara, a Sierra Leone national and the man who alleged packed the 30 kilograms of gold destined for Dubai; Dr. Andrea, a Congolese national and who is believed to be the main man at their operation base at Runda Estate; and George Otieno who poses as a customs official and operates from an office at JKIA, and who allegedly confiscated Manyaka's gold while on transit to Dubai and demanded that he pays for insurance before it could be released.

“I was told to pay the insurance which was about 36,000 dollars, I brought the money but I was not going to pay until I see the goods... with the help of the DCI we planned this (raid),” stated Manyaka.

He had already paid Ksh.13.2 million as royalties for the purchase of the gold in Sierra Leone, and a further Ksh.5.2 million as freight fees from Sierra Leone to Dubai with Kenya as a transit country.

Detectives suspect that the gold sold by Kamara did not leave Sierra Leone and that the consignment which had allegedly been confiscated at JKIA was fake gold bars.

Sources close to investigations believe that Manyaka could have been defrauded by an international criminal gold syndicate ring operating between Kenya, Sierra Leone and DR Congo.

The three suspects Fauzia Wanjiru alias Issa, Shallo Fatma alias Tett and Jackson Ochieng who were arrested at Momesa Vale in Runda are expected to be arraigned on Monday.

Among the items which were recovered during the raid were fake US dollars, a gold induction melting machine, an export permit for minerals and samples of minerals bearing the names TENG GERM LTD and KRA stickers.