Police arrest suspected Nigerian fraudster
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal investigations (DCI) on Wednesday night arrested a suspected fraudster in Kilimani.
According to a statement by the directorate on Thursday, the suspect, a Nigerian national, was identified as Yussuf Daniel Masara. He is said to have obtained money by false pretenses.
DCI say the suspect allegedly convinced his victim, a U.S national, that he would sell him 50Kgs of gold valued at Sh17.6 million.
“However after failing to keep his end of the bargain, the matter was reported to detectives based at Kilimani leading to his arrest,” the DCI said.
Masara was arrested following a report made vide Kilimani Police Station OB Number 59/26/01/2021.
But in a turn of events, a Nairobi court turned down an application by police to detain the suspect for seven days to verify his documents after he was arraigned in court on Thursday and was released on a Sh100,000 cash bail pending investigations.
Milimani Law Courts Senior Resident Magistrate Jane Kamau ordered Masara to be released on bail after she declined to allow police to continue detaining him for seven days.
“I have considered the submissions by the State and suspect and find that the suspect’s role in the investigations is minimal. I, therefore decline to allow police application and order the suspect released on Sh100,000 with one contact person on condition he reports daily at DCIO Kilimani Police Station pending probe,” the ruling read in part.
According to court documents, Yusuf Daniel Masara alias Dr Ibrahim Sacko, is said to have obtained the money on diverse dates between October 7, 2020 and January 1, 2021 from an American national, Elrais Ahmed Mohamed purporting to assist him buy 50 kilogrammes of gold.
Court also ordered the suspect’s travelling documents be held by the investigating officer until all investigations are complete.