SAM ALFAN.
A woman who was being sought over claims of swindling a man from Laos of Sh300 million in fake gold scam has finally been charged.
Pauline Adhiambo Idol alias Rose Omamo has been on the run since May 2019.
Adhiambo appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Kenneth Cheruiyot and denied two counts of fraud.
She has been masquerading as a relative to senior government official. She is accused of obtaining the money on diverse dates between February 8 and February 25, 2019 in Nairobi county jointly with others who have already been charged.
In another count, the accused persons are charged that on May 13, 2019 at Kaputei Gardens plot number 12 in Kileleshwa, they were found to be in possession of fake gold bars, heavy metal boxes stuffed with bags of cement and mallet hammers, and Ghana custom stickers.
It is said that immediately the Sounthorn reported the matter to detectives, Adhiambo went into hiding prompting a warrant for her arrest to be issued, in May 2019 after a request by the state.
Fifteen people were charged in May 2019 with similar charges of conspiracy to defraud the same amount.
On March 2019, Philip Nashon Ng’ru Aroko, Robert Ouko Paul Owiti alias Maxwell Oyuga , Ricky Thomas Ochieng Ochieng are accused on diverse dates between February 8,and February 25,2019 at Kaputei Gardens house number 12 along Kaputei road within Kileleshwa area in Nairobi, with intent to defraud, jointly with others not before court, obtained from Sounthorn Chanthavong a Director of Simuong Group company from Lao of US dollars 3,000,000 equivalent to Kshs. 300,000,000 by falsely pretending it was genuine gold genuine.
Aroko, Owiti, Oyuga, Ochieng together with Paul Otieno Ngoche, Alice Nzisha Nyamai, Joyce Akinyi Ouma, Juliet Kathambi Kithinji, William Otieno Onyango , Hanington Modisa Lugaye, Madan Olwangu Onyino, Seinim Boukar alias Abubakar , Abouna Temoua and Albert Lokole Lokunda were accused that on the same dates, jointly with others not before court, conspired to defraud Chanthavong.
They pleaded not guilty and were released on a cash bail pending hearing and determination of the case.
However,the magistrate ordered Adhiambo to be released on a cash bail of Sh 300,000 or a bond of Sh 1.5 million.
Yesterday on their Twitter account Directorate of Criminal Investigations revealed that wanted suspect in Sh300 million fake gold scam Pauline Adhiambo Odok alias Rose Omamo was arrested.