NAIROBI, Sept 17 — Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a suspected international gold fraudster accused of swindling a Canadian investor out of Sh36 million in a bogus precious metals deal.
The suspect, identified as Abbas Bardu Omuyoma, alias Ishmael, was apprehended on Dennis Pritt Road, Nairobi, following an intelligence-led operation by the DCI’s Nairobi Regional Office.
According to investigators, Omuyoma and an accomplice still at large lured the investor into a fake transaction involving 550 kilograms of gold nuggets and bars allegedly sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The victim was convinced to transfer USD 280,000 (approx. Sh36 million) through the cryptocurrency USDT as payment for the purported consignment.
“No gold ever materialised, and the investor later discovered he had been conned,” a DCI officer privy to the investigation said.
The elaborate scheme mirrors a pattern of gold scams that have plagued Nairobi in recent years, often targeting unsuspecting foreign investors with promises of lucrative deals. Kenya has in the past been flagged by international agencies as a hub for transnational gold fraud syndicates.
The arrest followed a formal complaint lodged on September 1, 2025, which prompted detectives to mount a forensic investigation that traced Omuyoma’s movements before his capture.
Omuyoma is currently in police custody awaiting arraignment, while detectives intensify the hunt for his fugitive accomplice.
Authorities have cautioned investors to exercise vigilance when engaging in high-value mineral transactions in Kenya, warning that fraudsters frequently exploit the country’s reputation as a gold transit hub to orchestrate scams.
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