The hunt for Kenya’s most brazen gold fraudsters has entered a decisive phase. Detectives say they are dismantling a sophisticated network that has swindled foreign investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through elaborate fake gold export schemes.
In the latest arrests, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detained Michael Otieno Owano, a lawyer and proprietor of Otieno M.O. Law Advocates. He is accused of helping dupe a Canadian investor into parting with USD 618,000 in a deal for 250 kilograms of gold bound for Dubai.
According to investigators, the victim was shown paperwork for a private jet shipment and given a proforma invoice of USD 318,400 by a company named EAI Logistics on 15 April 2025. The funds were wired to Owano’s law firm account. Soon after, the investor was allegedly told to send an additional USDT 300,000 to a cryptocurrency wallet. No gold ever arrived.
“This is part of a larger transnational fraud network that we are working to bring down,” a senior detective told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity as investigations continue.
Owano’s arrest follows that of Francis Talla Ouafo, also known as Allain, a Cameroonian national described by police as the suspected mastermind. Ouafo was arraigned on 31 July at the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court.
In a separate but equally complex case, Congolese national Lupemba Lorenzi Olivier appeared in the same court over allegations of a fraudulent gold deal targeting a Gabonese investor. Detectives were granted a seven-day custodial order to complete inquiries. The case will be mentioned again on 13 August.
Another suspect, Kelvin Otieno Onyango — better known as Kevo Sonko — was also arrested. Police say he posed as the director of SwiftTaxis Logistics Ltd, hosting the complainant in his office to negotiate a gold sale. The victim later transferred USD 140,000 into an escrow account.
All suspects remain in custody as the DCI’s Operations Support Unit pushes to dismantle the network. Officials warn that these scams are damaging Kenya’s international reputation and are urging foreign investors to conduct thorough due diligence before entering high-value commodity deals.
“This is not just about arresting individuals,” the detective added. “It’s about closing every door these syndicates use to exploit people.”
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