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Two men accused of defrauding a Swiss national of KSh 30 million in a sophisticated gold scam have been charged at the Milimani Law Courts.
The suspects, Julius Kirimi Muthuri and Richard Heineg Olaf, appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki, where they pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal USD 163,490 (approximately KSh 30 million) from Roger Gahwiler between November 2023 and March 2024.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the fraudulent scheme began after Gahwiler’s ailing father, who had previously worked in Ghana, informed him about property he had acquired there two decades earlier.
The father claimed to have sold the property and entrusted the proceeds, which were substantial, to a trustee in Ghana.
In pursuit of reclaiming his father’s assets, Gahwiler connected with a Ghanaian woman named Mamee Efua Esong in 2020.
Esong, who had acted as a translator during the original transaction, convinced Gahwiler that the proceeds from the sale amounted to USD 62.8 million.
However, she asserted that the funds could only be transferred through a special purpose company.
Gahwiler was subsequently misled into establishing a company for the purported transfer of the money to Switzerland.
Before the transfer could proceed, the scammers coerced him into paying various taxes and facilitation fees in multiple countries, including Ghana, Dubai, Tanzania, Uganda, and finally, Kenya.
While in Kenya, Gahwiler was introduced to Richard Heineg Olaf, who partnered with Julius Muthuri Kirimi in November 2023.
Kirimi claimed to own Lawsam Security Company, which was allegedly contracted to transport and store the gold and cash at a Nairobi airport.
The victim was denied access to the containers and, under pressure from the scammers, paid an additional USD 400,000 in facilitation fees.
After depleting his resources, Gahwiler realized he had been defrauded and lodged a complaint with the Kenyan Mission in Switzerland.
The matter was escalated to the DCI through the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, leading to an investigation and the eventual arrest of the suspects.
Appearing in court on Monday, the two accused denied all charges. They were remanded in custody, with the court expected to rule on their bail application on Friday.
This case highlights the increasing prevalence of gold scams in Kenya, with foreign nationals often targeted by well-organized syndicates operating across multiple countries.
Authorities have urged caution and due diligence when engaging in any high-value transactions involving precious metals.