The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), has today arraigned Philip William Knight, the manager of Sunshine Minerals Canada Limited, before a Nairobi court. The DCI is seeking a 10-day custodial order to finalize investigations into allegations that Knight obtained USD 357,300 through false pretenses.
According to the DCI, Knight — an American citizen — approached fellow American citizen Casey Drew Cain, who was represented in court by Advocate Geoffrey Nyakundi, with promises of lucrative business opportunities.
Knight was arrested on March 22, 2025, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport following a stop order issued by the Kenyan government. His arrest came after Cain filed a complaint alleging that Knight had introduced him to what turned out to be fraudulent investment ventures.
Initial investigations reveal that Cain first transferred USD 25,000 to Knight after being convinced of a promising business deal. The suspect later presented another opportunity, involving the establishment of a charity organization. Knight promised Cain a managerial position and returns of ten times the amount he would invest.
On September 27, 2024, Knight allegedly persuaded Cain to deposit an additional USD 25,000 under the guise of a business investment. Soon after, on October 3, 2024, Knight introduced yet another project — this time a charity initiative under his companies, Hallo Global Project Management Ltd and Sunshine Minerals Canada Ltd. Cain was reportedly asked to pay USD 16,300 with assurances that he would earn USD 163,000 in return.
The court also heard that Knight continued to exploit Cain’s trust, eventually convincing him to invest in a purported recurring export contract, leading to an additional USD 525,000 in payments.
Further investigations indicate that in October 2024, Knight fraudulently obtained another USD 281,000 from Cain, and later that same month allegedly swindled an additional USD 35,000.
In total, Cain has allegedly lost USD 357,300 to the suspect, with none of Knight’s promises materializing.
The DCI has requested 10 more days to complete their probe before submitting the file to the DPP for further directions.
Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina of the Milimani Law Courts has scheduled the ruling on the custodial application for March 25, 2025.
