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Police arrest fraud suspect in Nairobi


Police in Nairobi are investigating a fraud case where a businessman was defrauded of USD28, 000 (about Sh3 million) in a fake car deal.

Jimmy Omari lost the cash a few weeks ago after transferring the amount to a bank account given to him by suspected fraudster Meshack Mzaeh who was purporting to import a Toyota Prado for him.

Mnzaeh has been arrested but a Kibera court declined to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to detain him for 14 days pending investigations and released him on a cash bail of Sh50, 000.

Inspector of police Daniel Opiyo of Langata DCI offices had sought custodial orders to hold Mnzaeh for the period while carrying out his investigations but resident magistrate Jackline Onjwang released the suspect.

Mzaeh had telephoned Omari inviting him for a meeting to discuss a potential business deal where he offered to link him with a company (Trade N Trade Company limited) that imports used cars from Japan to Kenya.

He had gotten Omari’s phone number from a Whatsapp group for car importers and traders where Omari had expressed interests in importing a Prado.

The suspect informed Omari that he was in constant communication with the company’s salesman and shared his contacts.

Mzaeh told Omari that he was in the process of importing a Prado for a client which had left Japan for Mombasa port.

Omari then received a call purportedly from the company’s salesman in Japan who claimed that he had been given his number by Mnzaeh who was importing a Prado.

He received documents ascertaining that Mzaeh had imported a Prado as he claimed that his client had difficulties in making payment and wanted to sell the car to Omari if he was able to pay.

On April 12, Omari transferred the cash to a bank account given by Mzaeh.

Omari never received the car as promised. He reported the matter at Langata police station on April 26 and Mnzaeh was arrested. Opiyo told the court that Mnzaeh is a flight risk as he was processing travel documents to flee the country before he was arrested.

His accomplices involved in obtaining the money by false pretenses from Omari are at large.