Kenya Insights

Tag: Jonathan Okoth Opande

  • Fake Gold Scammer Jonathan Okoth Opande Charged In Court

    Fake Gold Scammer Jonathan Okoth Opande Charged In Court

    A politician has been charged with conspiracy to defraud a Thai national of millions in a fake gold deal.

    Jonathan Okoth Opande alias Okoth Magawi, who contested the Nyakach parliamentary seta in the last general election appeared before Makadara Magistrate and denied the charge.

    Opande is accused of conspiracy to steal US dollars on diverse dates between 18th and 27th April 2023 jointly with others not before court, with intent to defraud.

    The charge stated that they conspired to steal the millions from Kitwisit Songsri, a Thai National by purporting that they were in a position to sell to him 3kg of gold.

    He was released on a bond of Sh500,000 or alternative cash bail of Sh100, 000 pending hearing and determination of the criminal case.

    The case will be heard next year February.

    A report by the police posted on the DCI-Kenya official page on social media, Opande was arrested after escaping several police dragnets in the past few months.

    DCI further indicated that Opande also known as Chairman/Kiongozi was ejected from a Kisumu-bound KQ flight yesterday afternoon, by hawk-eyed detectives who had gotten wind of his last minute travel itinerary.

    The suspect who unsuccessfully vied for the parliamentary seat, has allegedly been engaging detectives in cat and mouse games in connection to a case where he defrauded two Thai nationals of over Sh13 million,  in a fake gold deal.

    A complaint lodged at the Royal Thai Embassy in April this year by Messrs Kitvisit Songsri and Nutsaphol Songsri, the suspect posing as the CEO of Blu Afrique LTD obtained the money from them in the pretext that he would supply them gold whose quantity was not immediately established.

    The two foreigners had traveled to the country on April 17 to seal the deal when they realized days later that they were the latest victims of Nairobi’s notorious fake gold dealers.

    DCI further added that a raid at the main suspect’s office in Lavington’s  Gatina area led to the recovery of KRA export seals, a dust coat branded Ministry of Mining and digital weighing scales among other crucial exhibits.

  • Nyanza Politician Jonathan Okoth Opande Arrested Over Sh100M Fake Gold Scam

    Nyanza Politician Jonathan Okoth Opande Arrested Over Sh100M Fake Gold Scam

    A politician from Nyanza who vied for the Nyakach Constituency Parliamentary seat in the 2022 General Election was arrested on Friday at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) while boarding a flight to Kisumu.

    Jonathan Okoth Opande alias Okoth Magawi is accused of conning two Thai nationals of more than Ksh.100 million in a fake gold deal.

    Detectives raided a house in Lavington, Nairobi, that Opande also known as Chairman/Kiongozi had converted into a lavish office and recovered fake gold bars, pellets, and a makeshift smelting machine.

    Opande, who was handcuffed, followed the sleuths as they broke into different rooms in his bungalow.

    The police also seized various documents, including mining licences from the Ministry of Mining and business permits from Nairobi County.

    They also found company seals and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) export seals.

    To make the scam look authentic, the fraudsters used dust coats branded with the Ministry of Mining logo.

    At the back of the main house, there was a structure where the smelting took place.

    The police impounded the equipment used to melt metals, mostly brass, and polish them to look like gold bars and pellets.

    In one corner of the compound, there was a store where metal boxes with export and import stickers were found.

    Opande is alleged to have duped Thai nationals Kitvisit Songsri and Nutsaphol Songsri who work for Thai Lion Gold Limited into paying Ksh.100 million in exchange for fake gold.

    He denied the allegations and said that his company, Abisai Global Limited, was legitimate.

    Detectives said that investigations into the Ksh.100 million gold scam started in February this year, after the victims reported the matter to the Royal Thai Embassy in Nairobi.

    Opande will remain in custody until Monday when he will be arraigned in court.