Lawyer Odowo Osewe Missing as Partner Faces Charges in Sh35 Million Gold Fraud Case

A Nairobi-based advocate, Alphonce Collins Odowo Osewe, has gone missing after failing to appear in court to answer to charges of defrauding a foreign gold buyer of more than Sh35 million.

Osewe, who is accused alongside businessman Patroba Odhiambo Tobias alias Ishmael, was expected to appear before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina on Wednesday but sent word through his representatives that he was unwell and seeking treatment abroad.

However, the court questioned the authenticity of his claims and directed him to produce official medical records and travel documentation to substantiate his absence when he appears on October 24.

“The accused must provide proof of illness and treatment plans before the court can consider his reasons for non-attendance,” ruled Magistrate Onyina.

His co-accused, Odhiambo, appeared in court and denied the charges, which stem from a complex gold fraud scheme allegedly executed between May 1 and May 9, 2023, in Nairobi.

According to the prosecution, the duo jointly obtained USD 260,400 (approximately Sh35.7 million) from a businessman, Bernard Shiaundu Aete, under the pretense that they could facilitate the sale of 400 kilograms of gold bars.

Court documents further reveal that Osewe faces an additional charge of obtaining Sh26.1 million from Nigerian national Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, also under false pretenses involving a fake gold sale.

Prosecutors allege he later transacted with the funds despite knowing they were proceeds of crime.

Odhiambo, who is already in custody, will remain detained until his bail hearing, as investigators pursue leads on the whereabouts of his legal partner.

The case adds to a growing list of high-profile gold-related scams in Nairobi, where fraudsters posing as legitimate dealers lure wealthy foreign buyers with promises of lucrative gold deals that never materialize.

Authorities are now under pressure to crack down on such syndicates that have tarnished Kenya’s image as a regional trade hub.

If found guilty, Osewe and Odhiambo face hefty fines and possible jail terms for fraud and money laundering under Kenya’s Penal Code and Proceeds of Crime Act.