Investigations

Turkana Politician Charged With Gold Fraud

Ewoi is suspected of falsely obtaining millions of shillings from women across the country.

Published

9 months ago

March 29, 2024

Kenya Insights Team

Simon Ekai Ewoi at the Mombasa law court.

A Mombasa court has charged a businessman suspected of falsely obtaining millions of shillings from women across the country.

Simon Ekai Ewoi was charged before Senior Resident Magistrate Hon. David Odhiambo on four charges of acquiring money under false pretences in violation of Section 313 of the penal code.

The suspect is accused of posing as a wealthy businessman who preys on his victims at posh restaurants, airports as well as at the beach during early morning walks.

In most of the cases, police said the suspect introduced himself as a businessman dealing in the exportation of gold and would request his victims for loans to be repaid within two days, claiming that his accounts had been frozen by the government.

In the first count, Ewoi allegedly obtained Sh21,735,350 from Caroline Nyambura Njogu on diverse dates between June 20, 2019, and February 22, 2024, in Mombasa County.

He was also charged jointly with others, not before the court in the second count of obtaining by pretences Sh1,573,850 from Caroline Wanjiru Muthoni on diverse dates between June 9 2022 and August 20 2023, within the Republic of Kenya.

He was also charged in the third count, along with others not before the court, with obtaining Sh1,573,850 from Mary Muteti under false pretences on various days between July 9, 2019 and November 8, 2020, in Mombasa County.

In the fourth count, Ewoi allegedly with others not before court, with intent to defraud, obtained Sh 111, 930 from Annie Hope Masai on diverse dates between October 30 2021 and November 10 2021 in Mombasa County.

The court heard that the accused and his accomplices obtained the total sum of Sh24,263,780 from the four complaints by falsely pretending that he was in a position to partner with them in the gold and mercury trade.

The accused pled not guilty to all counts, and Senior Prosecution Counsel Barbara Sombo opposed his immediate release due to ongoing police investigations.

Sombo prayed to Hon. Odhiambo that the accused be detained further to allow more complainants to record their statements and allow investigators to analyse some documentary evidence.

The trial magistrate ordered that Ewoi be detained at Central Police Station for ten days to allow detectives to complete their investigation.

What police are investigating

Ekai is being investigated for the offence of obtaining huge sums of money from his victims mainly being rich businesswomen.

According to the investigating officer George Willy Ndirangu, the suspect is being investigated over claims of obtaining money by false pretense.

He told the court that police were investigating the origin of a signature believed to be that of former President Uhuru Kenyatta which was used in one of Ekais documents to con a complainant Ksh40 million.

“There are documents containing signatures which are believed to be forged and they have not been investigated yet,” Ndirangu said.

He informed the court that police needed more time to visit the suspect’s home and retrieve the documents which would be used in the trial.

The court ordered that he appear in court on April 8, 2024, and be freed on a Sh7 million bond with a similar surety and two guarantors who provide specific facts about their locations.

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