Two Eastleigh Businessmen Charged With Sh12M Fraud

Two Eastleigh businessmen have been charged with defrauding a businesswoman Sh12 million in a fake clothes importation deal.

Mohamed Mohamud Abdi and Bashir Ali Gabow appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Ben Mark Ekhubi and denied the charges against them.

Mohamud and Ali are accused that on 10th May, 2018 at Eastleigh in Nairobi County, jointly with others not before court obtained 100,000 USD from Fatuma Hassan Osmani (Khadija) falsely pretending that they would facilitate the importation of clothes from China.

Last month, Court declined DCI application to detain them pending investigations into allegations of money laundering.

Milimani Magistrate Martha Nanzushi directed Mohammed Mohammed Abdi and Bashir Ali Gabow to deposit a bond of Sh500,000 each or cash bail of Sh200,00 each as police probe the allegations.

Inspector Patrick Omondi had asked the court to detain the two at Capitol Hill police station for two weeks and also surrender their phones for analysis.

“The investigators are intending to ascertain the identity of the respondents from the registration bureau and immigration department. The presence of the respondents during the investigations is crucial in identifying more of their links and their accomplices who are still at large,” Inspector Omondi.

He argued that it was desirable to conduct proper forensic investigation on the phones of the respondents to ascertain some allegations of communications with our sources.

“Preliminary analysis of data stored in the suspect’s mobile handset, and Sim- card reveal that the suspects have connections with several other key players which may lead to other arrests of suspects still at large. It is desirable for the investigating officers to record statements from different witnesses some of whom are close associates of the respondents who might not feel comfortable if the respondents are at large,” he told the court.

The officer said it was necessary to detain the duo to prevent the duo from moving out of the country since they are a flight risk.

According to the police report, the duo were allegedly captured in a cctv camera being given the Sh 12.8 million to facilitate clothes being brought to Kenya from China.

When Mohamud and Ali were questioned by the said Police, they agreed to return the money to Khadija which stopped after the two paid her Usd 30,000.

The court released the two on a bond of Sh 2Million or an alternative cash bail of Sh 1 million each.