- The court heard that Kongolo is a flight risk as he has dual citizenship (Kenya and DRC).
- Kongolo was arrested on Thursday after allegedly conning a Ukrainian investor of Sh940 million.
Image: CAROLYN KUBWA
A Nairobi court on Friday detained a Congolese man suspected of dealing in fake gold for seven days pending investigations.
The suspect, Andre Ishikunga Kongolo, alias Joseph Kimo, was detained by Milimani resident magistrate Jane Kamau after a police application.
The DCI had requested to have Kongolo locked in police cells for a week to enable them to finalise investigations. He is alleged to have conned people out of millions of shillings by claiming he could help them buy gold.
The suspect was remanded at Capitol Hill police station.
In an affidavit filed in court by investigating officer Julio Mutembe, police sought to be allowed to continue holding Kongolo. They said the investigations involve weighty matters that require ample time as police are expected to record statements from victims who include foreigners.
The court heard that Kongolo is a flight risk as he has dual citizenship (Kenya and the DRC).
"The suspect has been dealing in unidentified businesses that include sourcing and selling of gold from unknown sources, transporting it to different destinations and is facing criminal charges in Kenya," the court was told.
The court heard Kongolo was arrested on Thursday after allegedly conning a Ukrainian investor of Sh940 million.
Allegedly, the Ukrainian was lured into the country as a trap to syphon his money through a tricky gold business and parted with huge amounts of money to engage in the business.
“The gold in question turned out to be a different thing, despite paying for its security in custody of Brinks Security Services,” officer Mutembei said.
The prosecution further said the complainant is not in the country and has therefore not been able to identify the suspect.
“The respondent has time and again been involved in different crimes and offences against the rule of the country's law. The said acts have landed the respondent in different cases which are so far pending in different courts within the country,”the court papers read.
Further, the police want to conduct an identification parade to confirm other similar cases n Kenya that the suspect may be involved in.
It is alleged that Kongolo, who has several criminal records under his alias, has been meeting unsuspecting buyers in posh hotels within the city.
The court heard Kongolo has another fraud case pending in court where he is charged together with another trader wth defrauding Ibragim Kostostoeb Kostoev of 200kg gold worth Sh56 million at Swissport office at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.
-Edited by SKanyara