Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a Nairobi-based lawyer in connection with a high-value international gold fraud that saw a Canadian investor lose nearly Ksh.80 million.
Michael Otieno Owano, an advocate of the High Court and proprietor of Otieno M.O. Law Advocates, was apprehended by officers from the DCI’s Operations Support Unit (OSU) as part of an ongoing crackdown on a transnational gold scam network.
According to investigators, Owano allegedly played a key role in orchestrating a fraudulent deal in which the Canadian national was duped into paying USD 618,000 (approximately Ksh.79.9 million) for a fictitious consignment of 250 kilograms of gold. The shipment was purportedly destined for Dubai aboard a private jet, but no gold was ever delivered.
The arrest follows months of surveillance and intelligence gathering into a sophisticated syndicate that targets foreign investors through fake export agreements, forged documents, and staged viewing of non-existent gold. The DCI said the suspects use well-furnished offices, official-looking paperwork, and legal intermediaries to lend legitimacy to their schemes.
Owano is currently in police custody pending arraignment, as detectives pursue additional suspects believed to be part of the multi-million-shilling fraud ring. Authorities have warned that such scams not only harm Kenya’s international reputation but also undermine legitimate trade in precious minerals.
The DCI has urged both local and foreign investors to verify the authenticity of gold transactions with relevant government agencies before committing funds.
Written By Rodney Mbua
