NAIROBI Kenya May 30 -A Cameroonian who defrauded a businessman of Sh8.2 million in a fake gold deal was on May 30 charged with obtaining money by false pretenses.
Ranji Taku is accused of obtaining Sh8,255,200 from Mustafa Anwer in various places on diverse dates between March 9 and May 27 2023 while falsely pretending he was in a position to sell him 2kg of gold knowing the same was false.
Taku was also charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to section 393 of the Penal Code where he is accused of colluding with others at large to defraud Anwer of the cash during the same period.
Anwer and his business partner were planning to venture into the gold business and had travelled to Ghana but they were unable to get the gold.
They then returned to Nairobi where they met individuals who claimed to be agents of gold dealers.
Anwer was taken to an office in Nairobi where he was given an invoice indicating the tax amounts he was to pay and was also given the particulars of a bank agent in Dubai where the money was to be paid.
He paid the money in two installments.
He was later requested to deposit the money in the bank account and then he was told the gold will be delivered in Dubai.
Taku and his accomplices then told Anwer that they were not able to deliver the gold in Dubai claiming they had been denied visas.
He was instructed to hire someone to receive the gold on his behalf in Dubai and pay additional cash for shipment of the gold which he obliged and paid.
After several failed promises, Anwer realized he had been conned and reported the matter to the police and later lured him to a meeting where he was arrested.
Taku denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Mercy Malingu and was released on a bond of Sh5 million. The trial begins September 7, 2023.
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