Written by Were Kelly
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested fashion designer and entrepreneur Emmaculate Odhiambo Odhuno alongside businessman Benson Odero Gembe, over their alleged involvement in a multi-million-shilling gold scam targeting foreign investors.
The two, who police say had been on the run for several months, were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Thursday, where they pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud.
According to investigators, the case traces back to September 2024, when two investors from Dubai were duped into believing they were purchasing 35 kilograms of gold in a lucrative deal that later turned out to be fake.
The DCI reported that after several days of negotiations, the investors flew to Nairobi, where they were chauffeured from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to a luxury hotel in Kilimani. There, they were introduced to a well-coordinated network of accomplices impersonating Kenya Revenue Authority officers, Ministry of Mining officials, and even licensed private jet operators.
Before realizing they had been conned, the investors had already lost USD 54,300 (about KSh 7 million).
On August 18, the suspects appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego at Milimani Law Courts No. 3 for bond determination. Odhuno, who is a mother of twins, pleaded for lenient bail terms through her lawyer, citing parental responsibilities.
The court granted both suspects release on a KSh 1 million bond or an alternative cash bail of KSh 200,000 each. The case has been scheduled for pre-trial on September 15, 2025.
Police say the arrests mark a breakthrough in their sustained efforts to dismantle gold scam syndicates that continue to target unsuspecting foreign investors in Kenya.
