In a dramatic twist to an elaborate scam, Abdul Razak Rehan Shul, who posed as a personal assistant to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has been charged with defrauding a Pakistani investor of over Ksh116 million.
Alongside Rehan, two other individuals—Mohammed Amin Suleiman and Ebrahim Ahmed Ebrahim—are also facing charges for their roles in the sophisticated scheme.
The case unfolded at the Milimani Law Courts, where the trio was arraigned on August 27, 2024.
They face serious accusations of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretenses, and forgery.
According to the prosecution, the scam was a carefully orchestrated operation designed to lure the investor to Kenya under false pretenses.
Rehan, impersonating a high-ranking official, and his co-conspirators Suleiman, who pretended to be an accountant at the registrar of companies, and Ebrahim, who acted as a business consultant, created a fictitious business opportunity involving scrap metal and car batteries.
Upon arrival in Kenya, the investor was advised by Ebrahim to register a company. This process allegedly cost Sh7 million, which was handed over to Suleiman and Rehan. Their deception did not stop there.
The investor was further misled into making several additional payments for purported expenses such as warehouse rent, purchases of scrap metal and batteries, customs duties, and special permits, totaling Sh116 million.
A thorough investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) exposed the fraudulent nature of the operation.
The documents and permits provided to the investor were all found to be forged.
The DCI’s analysis of the perpetrators’ movements and financial transactions led to their identification and arrest.
In court, the accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They were granted bail of Sh5 million each, with one surety required.
The case is scheduled to be mentioned again on September 9, 2024.
