Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula’s name has been mentioned in the latest Sh400 million gold scam deal.
This comes after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested 15 suspects linked to a fake gold syndicate operating in the country.
According to police sources, Wetang’ula, three politicians and at least three lawyers are currently being investigated over the scandal.
But last evening, his personal assistant Chris Mandu Mandu denied claims that Bungoma Senator was involved in the scam saying he, too, was a victim.
“This was a business deal gone sour that is now being peddled around by his business partners, who also lost money in the business transaction. It is very unfortunate that some people are now trying to politicise the whole matter in which the Senator lost huge amounts of money,”
Emirate Sheikh
He said Wetang’ula will issue a comprehensive statement on the matter either today or tomorrow. This comes as the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti warned foreigners to consult the police and the Department of Geology whenever they intend to purchase gold. “The gold scam has now reached alarming levels as unsuspecting foreign nationals are being swindled of large amounts of money by fraudsters,” he said.
About two weeks ago, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum wrote to the Government of Kenya to protest over gold business venture in which they lost Sh400 million and demanded action. They linked Wetang’ula to the fake gold trade which is said to involve politicians and lawyers.
And later last evening, John Mondoh another aide to the Senator called our newsroom and claimed fraudsters had approached Wetang’ula seeking his assistance, but that he had declined.“The senator turned down their overtures and was not involved in the process at all. It is true that he knows some of the people who were involved, but he was not party to their criminal activities,” Mondoh said.
According to police sources, the scheme started on September 25, 2018 when the suspected fraudsters approached a nephew of Sheikh Maktoum Ali Zandi, who represents Zlivia, a gold trading company based in Dubai, saying they would deliver five tonnes of gold from the Ndande tribe in the DRC Congo.
Social media
The gold was to be moved to Kenya by road from DRC via Uganda. On September 27, the Kenyan group allegedly used fake social media reports claiming the gold had been detained at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. This, according to police, prompted Massoud Zandi, a representative of the gold trading company, to call Wetang’ula for help.
On December 15, 2018, the Senator flew to Dubai at the invitation of Zandi for a meeting during which he assured his host he would help release the gold.
Wetang’ula allegedly invoked the name of a Cabinet secretary, claiming the CS wanted Sh200 million before he could intervene to have the cargo released. The sheikhs in Dubai revealed they had been promised 23 tonnes cargo.
“The Sheikh declined the demands and instead flew to Kenya on December 24, 2018. He believed there was gold detained at JKIA. We all knew there was no such cargo because those are schemes being used by these scammers to con unsuspecting buyers,” said an official at the DCI.
Shown cargo
Officials at the DCI headquarters are now investigating the matter following a complaint from the Dubai rulers. To show commitment, the alleged con men had booked Ali Zandi at a top Nairobi hotel for three days during which he was taken to a warehouse at JKIA and shown “cargo that he was told was theirs” before he was taken back to the hotel.
According to detectives, the money demanded for release of the cargo was reduced to Sh70 million which was allegedly paid to the Senator and the politician.
On January 21, Zandi was moved to another top city hotel where he demanded to meet the senior government official he had been promised would facilitate the release of the said detained cargo.Those behind the scheme organised fake individuals and drove them in two four-wheel drive cars to the Karen Blixen Museum, posing as Cabinet secretary.
But Mandu discounted the claims and instead blamed the Senator’s business rivals and political detractors for hatching a plot to paint his boss in bad light, triggering the ongoing operation. Kinoti has revealed that the fraudsters had even leased premises at the JKIA and were using unscrupulous government officials to facilitate their movements at the airports and government offices.
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