Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang'i on Sunday, July 10, ordered the deportation of a Zambian national for allegedly running a fake-gold syndicate in the country.
According to a report by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Bupe Chipando popularly known as Elena was arrested by detectives from the Transnational and Organized Crimes unit.
He is accused of defrauding a Dutch National over Sh170 million in a fake gold deal and further accused of engaging in the illegal printing of currency
"A notorious gold scammer of Zambian origin who has been operating an international syndicate of fraudsters in Nairobi, has been deported.
"Bupe who was also involved in printing of counterfeit currency was deported at 11.45p.m following orders issued by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Dr Fred Matiang’i.
Appearing before the Milimani Courts on May 27, Chipando answered charges of defrauding rally driver Bernhard Brinke Ksh170,816,734 under false pretext that he was in a position to supply him with 500 kilogrammes of gold.
The Zambian national pleaded not guilty and was released on a Ksh500,000 cash bail or an alternative Ksh1 million bond. Bupe becomes the second international to be arrested in the country this year on allegations of being involved in the fake-gold syndicate.
In January, a Congolese businessman Andre Kongolo ,who was accused of defrauding a Ukrainian national nearly Ksh940 million was arrested in the country.
In the same month two suspects Rogers Kipkogei and Collins Chavera were arrested by DCI officers after they duped an unsuspecting buyer Ksh1 million after selling him crushed padlocks purported to be gold dust.
While smoking them from their hideout in Uthiru, detectives also recovered hundreds of SIM cards and ID cards, which were used to commit mobile money related crimes.
DCI boss, George Kinoti, has issued several warnings to both locals and foreigners to be on the lookout for gold scammers, who have flooded Nairobi's upmarket estates
Kinoti noted that the gold scam has now reached alarming levels with foreign nationals being targetted by the fraudsters. He urged the Embassies to advise their citizens coming in for business to be apprised of the con business of gold.
In addition, he advised anyone seeking to engage in the gold trade to first contact the Department of Mines and Geology for a procedure that pertains to buying and selling of gold and other precious metals,” he stated in a past press release.
