A Nairobi court has ordered a US businessman, Sergio Patrick Antonucci, who is accused of defrauding a local businessman of USD 1,271,200 (approximately Ksh. 163,984,800) in a fake gold deal, to present his medical documents.
The order was issued by Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Robison Ondieki after Antonucci failed to appear in court for the mention of his case. His defence lawyers informed the court that Antonucci had been admitted to a hospital for treatment after falling ill.
The magistrate scheduled the next mention of the case for January 27, 2025, for pre-trial proceedings. Antonucci has been in remand at Industrial Area since December 16, 2024, when he was first charged but has been unable to secure a bond of Ksh. 10 million with a surety of the same amount.
The magistrate rejected Antonucci’s request to have his bond terms converted into cash bail. Antonucci, the first US national to face charges related to a fake gold deal in Kenya, has denied two counts of conspiracy to defraud and obtaining money by pretence.
The prosecution claims that Antonucci, between March 31 and May 30, 2024, conspired to defraud Tanner Caldwell Cook, a businessman, by pretending to be in a position to sell him 2,820 kilograms of gold. He allegedly obtained the USD 1,271,200.74 (Ksh. 163,984,800) under false pretenses.
Antonucci’s defence team, led by Conrad Maloba, had earlier applied for bail, assuring the court that their client would comply with the bond terms. While Senior State Counsel Wairimu Waweru did not oppose the bail application, she urged the magistrate to impose stringent terms, including ordering Antonucci to deposit his passport in court due to his status as a foreign national.
Magistrate Shitubi had previously granted Antonucci a bond of Ksh. 10 million with one Kenyan surety, alongside the requirement to deposit his passport in court.
