A witness who would have been conned off more than Ksh 10 million by Nairobi’s daring conmen is among those police are holding for statement recording.
The well orchestrated scheme according to detectives involved bringing potential investors to the bank to see the ‘bounty’ and convince business people into doing business with them before being conned off.
When detectives stormed the bank, one of the suspects said to have been working with the fraudsters and who also happens to be an official at the top bank in the country, is said to have been surprised at how police got the information.
The manager of a top company had already bought into the fraudsters’ story, posing as international investors having seen the “cash” which they passed off as capital for their venture in a safe deposit box at Barclays Bank’s Queens Way Branch.
6 People were arrested today evening by @DCI_Kenya Detectives in connection with Fake currency amounting to slightly over 20Million US Dollars @Barclays_Kenya~Queensway Branch. The fake notes in 100 Dollar denominations were recovered from the Bank’s Safe Room|@Barclays_Kenya pic.twitter.com/nxIYOW7icE— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) March 19, 2019
An insider is said to have alerted the police that the manager was to deposit the an amount equivalent to Ksh10m in the account linked to the suspects at the bank on Nairobi’s Mama Ngina Street yesterday.
Police kept the manager in their office and later noticed the men behind the syndicate were calling him to keep time as they were waiting for him at the bank.
In the meantime, four suspects, who were later arrested, were waiting for the manager at the bank to deposit the Sh10 million for their venture.
The six suspects are:-
Dr. Erick Adede-Owner of the Box
Mr. Ahmed Shah- Fake Investor
Ms. Elizabeth Muthoni
Ms. Irene Wairimu Kimani
Mr. Boaz Ochich – Bank official
Mr. Charles Manzi-Bank official
Also held for statement recording is a witness who would have been conned. pic.twitter.com/IK0Zw00wes— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) March 19, 2019
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said they had learnt that the men behind the syndicate had deposited the money at the safe on November 25, 2017.
Given the long time they had kept away their scheme, it could be a pointer to the big number of unsuspecting Kenyans and foreigners who may have fallen prey to the suspected fraudsters.
“We will talk to all involved to know how this was possible. It shows many people were involved, which is unfortunate,” said Mr Kinoti.