According to police sources, the main suspect, originally from Kirinyaga County, is believed to be collaborating with accomplices posing as business people. Together, they’ve crafted an elaborate ruse to extract substantial sums of money from investors under the guise of promising high returns. The DCI has intensified efforts to locate her after she reportedly went into hiding, leaving a trail of defrauded investors and unanswered questions
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched a high-stakes manhunt for a Nairobi-based businesswoman accused of masterminding a fraudulent scheme that has been fleecing unsuspecting Kenyans living abroad. The scheme lures victims with the promise of highly profitable business ventures, only to vanish once investments are secured.
According to police sources, the main suspect, originally from Kirinyaga County, is believed to be collaborating with accomplices posing as business people. Together, they’ve crafted an elaborate ruse to extract substantial sums of money from investors under the guise of promising high returns. The DCI has intensified efforts to locate her after she reportedly went into hiding, leaving a trail of defrauded investors and unanswered questions.
One victim, a Kenyan based in the United Kingdom, recounted his experience with the scheme. He entered into a supposed partnership to supply fish feeds from Siavonga in Zambia to Jinja in Uganda, joining two other partners in Nairobi. The deal, which promised lucrative returns, was formalized with a lawyer present, signing as a witness. In total, each partner committed KSh 1,170,000, making a joint investment of KSh 3,510,000. According to the agreement, the woman, who is now on the run, was to make several trips to oversee the operations and deposit an anticipated profit of KSh 1,900,000 for equal division among the three partners.
“She convinced us that she had the necessary contacts and business acumen to make this work,” shared the UK-based investor, who asked to remain anonymous. “Her proposal to handle the trips to Zambia and Uganda seemed like a perfect fit for the arrangement.”
However, after making two trips, the woman allegedly disappeared without updating her partners on the business’s performance, violating the agreed terms. Noel Odiwour, the advocate who oversaw the contract, revealed that the woman’s silence has persisted, with no communication on the status of the supposed sales, effectively breaching the partnership deed.
DCI officers who visited her family in Kirinyaga discovered that her whereabouts remained unknown, as her phone had been switched off for an extended period. Family members disclosed that they have not heard from her recently, further complicating efforts to track her down.
This case is the latest in a series of fraudulent schemes targeting Kenyans both at home and abroad. In a similar incident, Pascaline Peter, also known as “Passy Ma Trevover,” was charged at the Makadara Law Courts. Operating through Pafrim Investment Limited, Peter allegedly defrauded 79 individuals of over KSh 80 million by promising a 30 per cent return on investments in her money-lending operation. At first, payments flowed smoothly, giving the impression of legitimacy, until delays began, followed by a complete cessation of payments.
The DCI urges anyone with information regarding the current suspect’s whereabouts or details on similar fraudulent activities to come forward. Investigators remain committed to dismantling these fraudulent networks and bringing all responsible parties to justice.
