Businessman and politician Seth Steve Okute who contested for the Karachuonyo parliamentary seat in 2022 on an Orange Democratic Movement party ticket and Oliende were separately charged with obtaining from Marjorie Grant USD 100,000 equivalent to Sh 12.7 million by falsely pretending tha Newsky’s Global cargo Movers Intern Ltd were in a position to pay custom duties for 33 kilograms of gold shipped from Burkina Faso.
According to the prosecution the duo was nabbed following a report made by the victim, who has been identified as Ms Marjorie Grant, an American-based investor living in Los Angeles, California.
Okute was the first one to be nabbed before the detectives also went to Mr Otieno’s palatial home in Kitusuru, Nairobi County. Okute was in possession of a Baretta Pistol loaded with 13 rounds.
At this home, the sleuths found heavy metallic boxes, suspected to be used to store crucial information that is currently assisting the officers in the investigations.
They are believed to have defrauded two American nationals in the gold fraud deal that went wrong.
“Detectives have recovered two firearms and over 470 rounds of ammunition of 9mm and 5.56 mm calibre, after arresting 10 suspects believed to have defrauded $534,000 (Sh67.3 million) from two American citizens,” a statement by the DCI read in part.
Businessman and politician Seth Steve Okute who contested for the Karachuonyo parliamentary seat in 2022 on an Orange Democratic Movement party ticket and Bruno Otieno Oliende who contested for the Suna East Parliamentary seat in Migori County as an Independent are known gold fraudsters.
Source: Kenya-Today