BY NT CORRESPONDENT.
Businessman Paul Kobia has been released on a cash bail of Sh2 million in after denying a Sh14m gold scam charges.
Kobia, who was charged together with his 13 employees allegedly conspired to defraud Italiana Antonio Cianci Director of Iron and Steel DMCC from Arab Emirates of US dollars 14,000.
The court heard that he displayed metal boxes purporting to be genuine gold bars. He also claimed that he was trading as Duaf international limited and Malva Amit limited, pretending that they were carrying out a genuine gold business.
Kobia and Tanya Yvonne Goes denied a further charge of obtaining money by false pretences. It is alleged that April 25, 2019 with intend to defraud with others not before court obtained from Italiana Antonio Cianci ,a director with Iron and Steel DMCC US dollars 14,000 by falsely pretending they had genuine gold for sale.
Kobia and his employees also face a count of preparation to commit a felony. It is alleged that on 26th April 2019 they were found in possession of fake gold nuggets, smelting pots, metal tongs, X- ray Fluorescence Spectrometers, assorted rubber stamps and company seals all used to convince unsuspecting people that they were carrying out a genuine gold business.
Kobia is also accused of forging stamps. He is alleged to have been found in possession of an instrument capable of making the impression of a stamp for the Nairobi Chief Magistrate’s Court.
He is also accused of making a false impressed stamp in the words of “collector of stamps duties Kenya revenue paid pounds” used for the purposes of revenue or accounting by the Kenya Revenue Authority.
The controversial businessman is accused of forging stamps from the National Treasury, Central Bank of Kenya, Director of Geological Survey, Ministry of Mining, Kenya Revenue Authority Customs and Excise duty department, Executive Office of Presidency Department of Procurement Nairobi and that of Registrar of Companies Kenya.
They all denied the charges before Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku at the Milimani Law Courts.
Whereas Kobia and Tanya were released on a cash bail of Sh2 million, the rest of his employees were released on cash bail of Sh 100,000, each.
The hearing of the case will be on August 30, 2019.
