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Congolese detained in Sh600 million gold deal


A court has ordered a Congolese national accused of defrauding a Ukranian businessman Sh600 million in a fake gold deal to be detained for seven days for interrogation.

Milimani law court senior resident magistrate Ms Jane Kamau directed Andre Kongolo Tshikunga be held at Capital Hill Police Station until the Ukranian national jets into the Country to record statements.

The court said an identification parade needs to be conducted so that the complainant can positively identify the suspect to police in the serious crimes unit.

Ms Kamau said the prosecution led by Fredrick Kimathi has presented humble evidence to show the need to deprive the suspect liberty for seven days.

In her ruling, Ms Kamau said due to the polarity of the borders occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, the complainant needs to be given time to make travel arrangements to fly to Kenya to record statements and assist the police sleuths in bursting the fake gold ring.

“The prosecution has shown that it has evidence to link the suspect (Tshikunga) with the fake gold trade where the complainant has lost considerable amount of money,” Ms Kamau ruled.

The magistrate said police need to be given humble opportunity to delve deep into the illegal trade in a bid to shield genuine international businessmen from losing their money through shady deals.

Ms Kamau had been urged by a defence lawyer not to curtail the liberty of Mr Tshikunga then free him on bond.

“I urge this court to exercise its discretion to free the suspect on bond,” Ms Kamau was begged.

But state prosecutor Fredrick Kimathi opposed the bail request saying the suspect is a foreign national accused of engaging in fake gold trade and therefore “a flight risk.”

Mr Kimathi stated that Mr Tshikunga has been traversing different parts of this country doing unexplained businesses.

“Mr Tshinguka lured the Ukranian national to fly to Kenya for the gold business deals and in the process he lost a huge sum of money,” Mr Kimathi told the magistrate.

He said police are probing a loss of a hefty figure of Sh600million.

“It is true the foreigner parted with his monies to do gold business that never was,” the prosecutor stated.

Mr Kimathi said the gold trade turned out to be a “different thing all together.”

The complainant is still in Ukraine, Ms Kamau heard and needs time to be allowed to jet in for questioning and recording of statements.

Mr Tshikunga will be returned to court on January 14,2022 for further directions.