A Nairobi court has ordered the detention of an American citizen for three days as investigations continue into allegations of obtaining money through false pretenses.
In a ruling delivered by Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina, police have been granted until March 27, 2025, to hold Philip William Knight, who serves as the manager of Sunshine Minerals Canada Ltd.
Knight is under investigation for allegedly defrauding another American citizen of USD 357,300 by promising profitable business opportunities that never materialized.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had requested a 10-day detention period to complete their probe, but Knight opposed the application, claiming he was in the process of negotiating an out-of-court settlement with the complainant.
Knight was apprehended on March 22, 2025, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport following a stop order issued by the Kenyan government. His arrest followed a complaint by Casey Drew Cain, who accused Knight of luring him into fraudulent investment deals.
While granting the three-day detention, Magistrate Onyina directed that if the prosecution fails to press charges within that period, Knight should be released on a cash bail of Ksh 1 million.
