Paul Kobia speaks. Standard Exclusive. Apparently he stole gold worth Kshs. 8 billion from Kabila's Congo.

Also he was a ‘close friend’ to Sonko as they came up together in ‘business’…

[SIZE=7]"I didn’t smuggle Sh8 billion Congo gold to Nairobi,"says Paul Kobia[/SIZE]
The Nairobian By 5 years ago
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https://www.sde.co.ke/images/friday/NRB-goldsaga-insidepic.jpg Controversial city man clears his name from 2.5 gold saga Photo: Courtesy

By David Odongo and Solomon Koko

Few Nairobians knew much about Paul Kobia before March 2011 when a furious President of a troubled neighbouring country made an impromptu visit to Kenya.
What President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) wanted his host President Mwai Kibaki to do was soon apparent: Order the return of 2.5 tonnes of gold worth at least Sh8 billion and arrest those who allegedly smuggled the massive haul from the mineral rich state.
Kabila insisted some of the loot had been freighted from Nairobi to Dubai and South Africa but part of it was in a warehouse in Embakasi.
Prominent among those named in the supposed international smuggling syndicate was Kobia, who until then had only been vaguely mentioned in relation to either the alleged illegal gold trade in Nairobi or a con game hinged on the precious metal.
The man, who UN officials and Kenyan investigators believe also holds a Congolese passport under the name of Ilunga Ngoei (or Paul Ilunga), was reported to have fled to Tanzania. He eventually returned home, but the investigations seemed to have fizzled.

Last year a KTN investigative Inside Story /Jicho Pevu series, Blood on Gold/Dhahabu ya Mauti also linked Kobia to a gold con scheme.
This week, Kobia, in a rare media interview, has told The Nairobian that he is a clean man.
“I did not steal or smuggle Kabila’s gold. I am a legitimate businessman,” he says matter-of-factly.
The controversial city man says he trades in gemstones and has invested in real estate.
“I own a lot of property in Embakasi and other parts of the country. All my wealth can be traced. I work hard for my money. It is all legitimate,” insists Kobia, without giving many details.
He believes reports linking him to illegal gold trade are a witch-hunt that have sometimes led to police raids at some of his offices in View Park Towers. He even doubts the authenticity of information released on the supposedly smuggled DRC minerals.
“If someone had 2.5 tons of gold, would he store it in a ware house in Embakasi?” asks Kobia, alluding to the futile 2011 search by city security agencies at a warehouse.

However clean he may claim to be, Kobia has been treated as a suspect in various investigations and cases. For example, early last year police dropped fraud charges against him after a complainant in the case, said to be linked to Hong Kong-based Meranti Holdings, withdrew from the case.
“The complainant refused to come and we are told he has sworn an affidavit to that effect,” said CID head of investigations Mohamed Amin.
Kobia had been arrested and charged on November 2, 2010 with pretending to sell 825kg of gold and obtaining $200,000 (Sh17.4 million at current exchange rate) from a South African Dennis Ray Schmelzenbach.
A UN report last year also linked Kobia to a gold con game and a warehouse at JKIA, which he allegedly used to dupe his victims. The 392-page report also claimed the syndicate ran a gold refinery in Nairobi. Kobia denies all the allegations.
“I honestly have no idea why I am on that list. Nobody asked me anything. I just heard that the UN had mentioned me in a report. But my conscience is clear, I have nothing to hide,” claims Kobia, who also denies that the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit froze his Sh800-million account.
“That never happened my friend. If you follow the case, you will realise that the matter was concluded, and somebody (George Mutiso) was charged in court. It wasn’t me. My accounts haven’t been frozen,” says Kobia.
However, Directorate of Criminal Investigation boss Ndegwa Muhoro told The Nairobian that Kobia and others were not off the hook yet.
“For now I can’t say that the case has been abandoned. It will depend on the progress and findings of our investigations. The evidence will be crucial,” he said.
So who exactly is Paul Kobia? Well, the ‘exactly’ part does not come out quite clearly after our interview, but he nonetheless opens a window to his life.
“I am a humble man, who trained as a priest,” claims Kobia. “But I remain deeply religious.”
For a man who says he left priesthood in Tanzania for the business world, Kobia does not hide the fact that he is doing well. For example, he tells us he once paid Sh16 million in cash for two Range Rovers at a Nairobi car bazaar. He also lays claim to being the first to import an Audi Q7 to Kenya.
Designer suits have replaced the religious robes and instead of a rosary he has a gold chain. He tells us he bought his Dunhill ‘pure leather’ belt in Monaco for $320 (Sh27,840). As the interview progresses, it is clear fine single malt whisky has also replaced church wine.
On the Congolese alias, Kobia alleges he was nicknamed Ilunga Ngoei by his friends from DRC because of their respect for him. He claims to have once been involved in legitimately exporting raw copper from DRC to a Chinese firm at a tidy profit.
Today, Nairobi-based Congolese refer to Kobia as ‘Prezda’ (President), perhaps since he lavishes cash on band members at various city venues whenever he shows up.
Kobia, who says he is so popular in the city that he can walk around “even in the most dangerous slum” without a bodyguard”, admits he has two licensed gun.
“I have never had occasion to draw them or even think of using them. I only applied for the licence because I sometimes carry huge amounts of cash, and I also want to protect my family,” claims Kobia.
‘Officially’, he says, his family is made up of one wife and four children but he ‘takes care of’ 10 children in universities and about 40 in various primary and secondary schools.
His son Geoffrey ‘Jeff’ Kobia made an unsuccessful bid to be Nairobi Governor in the March 4 elections.
“I spent hundreds of millions but we didn’t win because we started campaigns a bit late,” claims Kobia, adding that he plans to spend at least Sh700 million for his son’s campaigns in the 2017 elections.
He thinks he would have made a good governor for Nairobi, but “I don’t have a degree,” which is a requirement. Kobia, however, says Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko is a close friend.
“We used to share a single room many years back when we were both ‘hustlers’,” he says.
As he animatedly waves his left hand, which has a missing finger, we ask the inevitable question. What happened?
“It wasn’t anything close to the rumours about my finger being chopped off by business rivals. I was simply involved in an accident and shrapnel severed my finger. In fact, I have been trying to get the nurse who treated me in a clinic in Huruma so that I can say thanks to her nicely,” claims Kobia, saying he could buy a car for the nurse or pay fees for her children.
For now Paul Kobia says he is minding his business — perhaps in the hope that no furious president, inquisitive cops or nosy UN officials will disturb his peace.

[SIZE=7]I have millions in Asia: Paul Kobia explains beef with CBK Governor[/SIZE]
The Nairobian By Cheptoek Boyo 1 month ago
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https://www.sde.co.ke/sdemedia/sdeimages/saturday/xwxm8kfifwxabctqjk5c67cd2f9d7fc.jpgKobia [Photo: Courtesy]
A video of controversial city businessman Paul Kobia hurling insults at Central Bank Governor Patrick Njoroge has doing rounds on social media.
He has now opened up about his anger.

“I have nothing personal against the CBK Governor. However, it would be important if they (CBK) would loosen the noose on the tough rules they have created for transacting ;large sums of money.
“Kenya is a fast growing economy. It is so easy to make a million shillings in a day these days, yet the banks will have to question everything about your source of cash every day?” lamented the flashy politician.
https://www.sde.co.ke/sdemedia/sdeimages/saturday/ohol0sb7xmzmr5xejuh5c67cdee8d389.jpgKobia [Photo: Courtesy]
Adding, “I have millions in Asia that I want to bring home but these guidelines are stifling. We are now resorting to mattress accounts.”
Kobia said he will soon announce his candidature for the top office.

@patco fanya summary, hii upus yote ni ndefu sana

Ikinunua gazeti huwa unasoma headline halafu unatupa hizo page zingine?!

Huwa nasoma headline, naona ni upus ya kawaida, [SIZE=1]naingia mle chooni, nakunjakunja, ikishakuwa soft natumia, [/SIZE][SIZE=5]alafu naenda kuwatch news. [/SIZE]

Nilikuwa nangoja uweke hii tangu Saturday when Nairobian first posted it with 4 linked articles nikaona hujiskii. Sasa juu nimeweka unaskia kawivu…:D:D

Ambia deorro amerge na azitupe huko jamii forums. Ama health and fitness. Ama TBT.:D:D

This kobia guy is such an idiot. Just a hoodlum conman like sonko. Btw interpol was looking for this guy for defrauding junguz claiming to sell them gold. …lot’s of evidence against this guy. Just google it. All this is stolen money, leo unakula poa kesho mara sijui a hitman is looking for you oh mara sijui ur arrested and tried in a foreign court like the Akasha brothers. Honestly, I’d rather have a smaller, clean networth and have inner peace knowing that nobody’s looking for my ass.

Damn! that Rolls Royce. But mahali tumefika In this country, convectional way of doing business does not cut it anymore. Overheads and high taxes are eating too much of profits. Ntafanya magendo comfortably if i had a chance

Bigger picture : Kuosha wazungu na kuspend Kenya. Robin Hood if you ask me, antics aside. Plus FDI :smiley:

He has some serious clout in power covering his ass. Including cops. But still he has several bodyguards just in case.

Ubaya ni aruke Russian mafia fulani bila kujua and his story is told. And there are folks who’ll do your family as well just because.

Na tena ujue hata kama unaibia some mzungu retiree of his life earnings, ndio ni mzungu na wewe zile curse zitakupeleka India wacha tu. Na unaibia pia Congo poorest people on earth.

Uko right hapa. For some reason I assumed he was stealing from corporate thugs in Europe.

If that’s true then he is one of the largest individual holders of gold in the world

Ule kijana yake who wanted to be governor ameingia hii biz ama bado,what about the wife ?

akili kama mende

People like Kobia should read about Alfred herrhausen. If someone crafty decides to kill you they will find a way even when you are surrounded by bodyguards.

Waliachana na wife alikuwa akimangwa na Mcongo fulani.

Yaani huyu jamaa ako serious??ati its so easy to make a million nowadays??mimi ata kutengeneza thao kwa siku inanishinda :Dlanes

million a day kuibia watu

hahaha @ebbie …i was just thinking the same thing. I bet even that phone call from the president was fake. Only for the purposes of luring in those junguz ati he’s some type of important guy… na ni mwizi tu