Wash Wash ‘Mastermind’ Edwin Ochieng aka ‘Mchafu’ Who Is Being Investigated Over Claims Of Defrauding A Frenchman Of Sh11.5 Billion In Precious Stones Deal Has Been Released On Bond.
Kibera Magistrate Released Edwin On A Cash Bail Of Sh500,000 Pending Conclusion Of Investigations By Directorate Of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
It Is Alleged To Have Defrauded Freshman William Tuil Of Over USD89,000,000 Equivalent To Sh11,536,000,000.
The DCI Moved To Court Through Miscellaneous Application Seeking To Detain The Businessman For Seven Days.
“The Court Be Pleased To Issue Custodial Orders Against The Respondent Herein To Be Detained For Five Days (7) Days At Kilimani Police Station To Allow Police Inspector Nicholas Njoroge Attached At DCI Headquarters Operations Support Unit, Complete Investigations Into A Case Of Conspiracy To Commit Felony Contrary To Section 393 Of The Penal Code,” Investigating Officer Urged The Court.
The Court Heard That The Businessman Was Arrested On 16th August, 2023 In Brookside Groove In Nairobi County Over Suspicion Of Committing A Crime.
The Investigating Officer Said The Offence Was Committed On Diverse Dates Between 22 July 2022 And 25th August 2023, Jointly With Others Still At Large.
It Is Alleged That He Informed The French National That He Was In A Position To Facilitate The Transfer Of The Money From Gabon To Rwanda.
Tuil Reported At Kilimani Police Station On 25/12/8/2023.
The Frenchman Said He Was Given A Mandate Through A Private Company From Gabon To Act As An Agent In A Business Of Selling Colton Minerals.
Some Of The Information On Money Transactions Were Done Outside Kenyan And Needed More Time To Contact Relevant Authorities.
Court Heard That Edwin Received Some Of The Money Through Bank Accounts Which The Investigating Officer Is Yet To Trace For Purporse Of Obtaining Financial Transactions.
According To Court Documents, A Total Of 950 Kilograms Of Colton Minerals Was Allegedly Flown From Gabon To Qatar Where It Was Later Said To Have Been Sold For USD 89,000,000.
Frenchman Alleges To Have Withdrawn The Money In Dubai Which Was Then Packed In Boxes Destined For Kigali In Rwanda But The Said Money Never Reached Rwanda.
Tuil Was Informed By The Respondent That His Consignemnt Of Money Has Been Detained At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport In Nairobi Pending Clearance By The Kenyan Authorities And Edwin Further Asked For USD 48,500 Being Money For Insurance,Storage And For Hiring A Private Jet For The Consignment.
Tuil Flew To Rwanda To Await For The Consignemnt But It Never Arrived. He Flew Back To Kenya Where Edwin Demanded For USD 500,000 Which The Complaint Was Unable To Raise
Edwin Was Arrested And Escorted To His Office At Brookside Groove House Number 13 Where Upon Search In The Said House, Seventeen Boxes Alleged To Contain Monies Were Found In Two Rooms Of The House.
“Upon Opening The Boxes They Were Found To Be Stuffed And Filled With Stones, Gravel And Pieces Of Tiles And His Actions Were Meant To Lure And Defraud The Complainant Of His Money,” Officer Told The Court.
The Investigating Officer Said He Intends To Subject The Recovered Exhibits Including His Mobile Phone To Forensic Examination To Accertain Whether The Mobile Phone Was Used In Carrying Out Transactions Such As Sending WhatsApp Images And Conversation And Money As Alleged By The Complainant.
The city business man is alleged to have defrauded the foreign national $89Million from the sale of 950 kilograms of coltan minerals allegedly flown from Garbon to Qatar.
Edwin Ochieng who appeared before kibera Senior principal magistrate Charles Mwaniki was accused of defrauding Mr William Tulil the money claiming he was to facilitate the transfer of the hard currency from Garbon to Rwanda.
“That the respondent received some of the money through bank accounts which the investigating officer is yet to trace for the purpose of obtaining financial transactions “read the application.
The investigating officer Nicholas Njoroge told the court that Edwin Oduk withdrew the money then packed it in boxes destined for Kigali Rwanda but the consignment did not reach Rwanda.
The complainant Mr William Tuil who had flown to Kigali to wait for the cash consignment flew back to Nairobi after being informed the money had been detained at JKIA.
The court heard that Mr Oduk allegedly asked the complainant another $48,500 for insurance storage and for hiring a private jet to fly the cash consignment to Kigali Rwanda.
The court heard that during arrest of Mr Edwin Ochieng at his residence at Brook Groove Nairobi police found that the boxes Mr Edwin said to be stashed with the Ksh89Million dollars were stuffed and filled with stones gravel and pieces of tiles.
His lawyers objected to the detention of the businessman for 7 days claiming that the police have not established compelling reasons to warrant such a long detention.
They further told the court that the businessman is not at flight risk since his place of abode is well known by the police.
The magistrate agreed with the defence that there are no compelling reasons to detain the suspect and released him on a cashbail of Ksh500k.
The court further ordered the suspect to report to kilimani police station for 7 days at 9am.
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