A 66-year-old Congolese national at the center of a high-profile 500-kilogram gold fraud case has told a Nairobi court that he attempted to flee Kenya after receiving death threats from the complainant in the case.
Muderwa Mega Abedi, the main suspect in the alleged scam, stunned a Nairobi Chief Magistrate’s Court by admitting that he tried to escape the country using fake names and forged identification documents. He was intercepted at the Namanga border by immigration officers while allegedly fleeing Kenya.
Muderwa had previously been released on police cash bail following his arrest on June 17, 2024, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). His passport had been confiscated, and he was under strict police surveillance. In court, he claimed that the threats against his life forced him to obtain false documents in a bid to escape.
According to preliminary investigations, Muderwa was initially apprehended after Romanian national Florian Vasile lodged a complaint accusing him of falsely claiming he could facilitate the sale of 500 kilograms of gold. During the investigation, Muderwa reportedly admitted to being part of a group behind the alleged scam.
The investigation file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on April 4, 2025, for review and further action. In the meantime, Muderwa was required to report daily to Capital Hill Police Station, a condition he honored until April 14, 2025—the day he was caught attempting to leave the country at the Namanga border.
Today, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) operations support unit brought Muderwa before the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, seeking to detain him for an additional seven days to allow the ODPP to finalize its review of the case.
Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi granted the request, ruling that there were sufficient grounds for continued detention. Muderwa will remain in custody until April 23, 2025.
