Zaheer Meriahi Jhanda, man accused of being at the centre of the fake gold scandal in Dubai has opened up more details in the Ksh. 30 billion deal.
Speaking during an interview with The Standard, Zaheer says he was not in Dubai as has been claimed at a time he was alleged to have tried to make ODM leader Raila Odinga talk to Interior CS Dr Fred Matiang’i on phone so as to intervene in the release of the gold consignment.
He further disclosed that he was worth Sh3 billion and much of his assets were in land although he had two choppers which he leases.
He complained that his deal had been politicised and that Raila and Matiang’i had no role in the deal and dismissed the protest letter said to have been sent to the CS.
Zaheer claims that he had never told Raila or Matiang’i about his deal.
The businessman who detailed how he was contracted by a Dubai based company to deliver gold worth Sh30 billion from Congo for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was at pains to explain how his deal had been infiltrated by politicians.
The deal was conceptualised in Dubai when Jhanda was introduced to a member of the Royal Family by a friend. During the introductions, Zandi said he was the nephew of the ruler of Dubai.
Africa: Kenya, Politician Zaheer Jhanda speaks out on the fake gold scam. 18-05-2019 pic.twitter.com/Jn0QALm0jT
— Rowan Van Dijk (@Lastkombo) May 18, 2019
“Zandi said they wanted help to transport nine tonnes from Kenya to Dubai. The gold was being sourced from DR Congo and was to be transported to Nairobi by road,” Jhanda said. The pact was finalised after several trips to Dubai.
This was how the consignment worth Sh30 billion was to be ferried from Nairobi to Dubai so that the Kenyan fixer could earn his millions.
Before the deal was finalised, Jhanda said he had insisted that he be made a partner of ZLivia, a free Zone Company, and ultimately bought a 12 per cent stake although he declined to say how much it had cost him.
He maintained that “No gold has been lost. The gold is still in Congo and to the best of my knowledge, no money has been paid.” The man who said he was not a gold dealer but a businessman who made his money through consultancy and real estate denied ever being to DR Congo and meeting the ruler of Dubai.