BY SAM ALFAN.
A Nairobi court is set to rule on whether to detain a manager accused of illegally obtaining Sh200 million from an American investor.
Milimani chief magistrate Lucas Onyina will decide whether to detain Philip William Knight, a manager with Sunshine Mineral Canada limited.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations sought the detention of Knight for ten days, pending conclusion of investigations into the fraud.
Knight opposed the application.
“We are therefore apprehensive that if he released on bond he may not attend court. DCI investigators projects that it will take them ten days to complete their investigations,” the DCI submitted.
Corporal Paul Maina said Knight was arrested on 22nd March, 2025 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in connection with allegations of obtaining money by false Pretences contrary to section 313 of the Penal code.
The matter was reported at Capitol Hill Police station vide O.B 49/11/03/2025. Lawyer Geofrey Nyakundi is holding brief for investor Cain.
It is alleged that the complainant Casey Drew Cain was introduced into alleged investment opportunities by Knight.
The court heard that the suspect requested that the payments be made in cash either in US Dollars or in Kenya shillings.
On the 27th day of September, 2024, the complainant made a cash payment of $25.000, which was paid to Knight at Connect Coffee, within Nairobi in his capacity as the Manager Sunshine Minerals Canada Limited.
He later signed an acknowledgement note of the said amount and promised the complainant that by making this investment would earn him ten times the investment.
The complainant expected a total of $163,000 from his initial investment.
The court heard that on 3rd day of October, 2024, the complainant made the said payment while at the suspect’s residence located at Palm Springs along Dennis Pritt road in Nairobi in line with the terms outlined in the World Food Program that had total project valuation of USD 125,000,000.
The court heard that Knight would later again introduce Cain to another business opportunity which was described as a recurring export contract where his company would be involved in exporting gold to Dubai on a monthly basis under his direction.
According to the DCI, to participate in the contract, Knight proposed that the complainant make a payment of USD 525,000 in order to be included in a Deposit Collaboration Agreement.
On the 10th October, 2024, both parties finalized a detailed contract designated and referenced SSM10102024/Southbrook in which the complainant was tasked with funding the contract.
As a result, the complainant through Woodward, paid a sum of USD 281,000 to Knight by wire transfer through Well Fargo Bank.
In Mid October, 2024, Knight yet again approached the American requesting for a further payment of USD 35,000 allegedly to cover the administrative costs for the World Food Programme project ( World Food Program/001/2023) which he paid on the 26th October, 2024 at Sunshine Minerals offices located along Kilimani road.
The police said Cain paid a total of USD 357.300 but Knight failed to deliver on any of his promises.
The DCI told Magistrate Onyina that investigations are not yet complete and sought more time to hold the suspect in order to record a statement from Dr. William B. Woodward who is a key witness based in the United States of America.
The investigator further said he needed to obtain bank statements from Wells Fargo Bank which is also based in the US.
He added that Knight was a flight risk as he has no known home and was arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on his way to Addis Ababa
