The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is probing a suspected fake gold racket involving one man and two women arrested during a dramatic swoop at a go-down along Mombasa Road.
The three suspects, Bahati Holela Ismail, Ruth Chemutai Tegei, and Dolphine Chelagat Chemos, are currently at the center of an unfolding investigation linked to a suspected conspiracy to commit a felony.
Detectives from the DCI’s Operations Support Unit stormed a warehouse in the PDL Complex near City Cabanas following a tip-off from a concerned member of the public who reported “suspicious vehicles and individuals” loitering in the premises for hours.
According to a sworn affidavit by Corporal Peter Mwangi, a lead investigator in the case, the operation uncovered a complex setup that appeared to mask a fake gold transaction.
“We found thirty timber boxes and twelve metallic containers sealed and lapped as if they were ready for shipping, but all were empty,” Corporal Mwangi revealed in court documents. “The respondents could not account for their presence there or the nature of the business they claimed to be engaged in.”
“The respondents could not account for their presence there or the nature of the business they claimed to be engaged in.”
The arrest occurred in go-down number 5 of the facility, where two foreign nationals,identified as Mohamed Hassan Dahir (Canadian) and Rateb Mahmoud Ali (Syrian), were found in the company of the three Kenyan suspects.
Eight additional men, reportedly hired as private security by the foreigners, were also at the scene.
“Initial checks indicated a well-orchestrated plan. Materials found, including invoice documents, seals, and packaging equipment, point to a fraudulent gold trade operation that was disrupted just in time,” added Mwangi.
DCI detectives believe the suspects may be part of a wider criminal syndicate targeting unsuspecting investors, a problem that has plagued Kenya in recent years.
The DCI now seeks to detain the trio at Capitol Hill Police Station for ten more days to complete investigations.
Among the issues investigators intend to clarify are the identity and nationality of the first suspect, Bahati Holela Ismail, who reportedly had no form of identification and is considered a flight risk.
“We are also working to retrieve digital evidence from gadgets recovered at the scene and track down other potential accomplices who may have fled,” said Mwangi.
At the heart of the plea filed at the Milimani Law Courts under Miscellaneous Criminal Application No. E2702 of 2025 is the assertion that holding the suspects longer is crucial to safeguarding evidence and ensuring all involved parties are brought to justice.
“We urge the court to allow us ten days to pursue these leads thoroughly. The public must be protected from such high-level fraud schemes,” Mwangi pleaded in the affidavit.
The suspects, who appeared visibly tense during the court session, did not respond to the media outside the courtroom.
The two foreigners arrested alongside them are being held under separate investigations, sources confirmed.
Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina detained the suspects until August 13 to allow police complete investigations into the matter.
