BY NT CORRESPONDENT.
The trial of three suspects charged of defrauding an Iranian national of Sh64 million in gold fraud has been deferred after the accused persons informed the court that they were yet to be supplied with evidence by the prosecution.
Milimani chief magistrate Susan Shitubi directed the case against two Kenyans Partick Ngare Muchina and Kelvin Mwaura Ngotho and a Congolese Muke wa Mansoni Didier to be mentioned on May 18, to confirm whether the prosecution will have supplied them with witness statements.
The three have denied charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and obtaining money by false pretences from Iranian businessman Sadegh Sadeghain Abolfazi.
The case was scheduled for pre-trial but hit a snag after the accused persons said they were yet to get the statements.
According to the prosecution, the three conspired to defraud Abolfazi between April 2021 and April 14, 2023, within Kilimani area in Nairobi.
The businessman is said to have paid the trio the millions in tranches on a promise that they were in a position to supply him with 60 kilograms of gold.
The accused persons urged the court to compel the investigating officers to return their personal items including mobile phones which were taken from them during their arrest on April 17, 2023.
They are each out after depositing Sh3 million bond or alternative cash bail of Sh1 million.
There has been an upsurge of gold fraudsters in Nairobi and this the latest case where foreigners and Kenyans have been accused of defrauding unsuspecting gold traders and vanishing with millions of shillings.
