Congolese man charged with defrauding Chinese company Ksh.133M freed on Ksh.10M bond

A Congolese national has been charged for allegedly defrauding a Chinese company USD 1 million (Ksh.133.5 million) under the guise that he would supply them with mineral ore.

Lumumba Ulundu Patrick alias Gabriel Kulonda Ilungu alias Lumumba Patrick Byarufu reportedly stole the said amount from Yingchen International Trade Company Limited with a promise of supplying 84 metric tonnes of tantalite.

A statement by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on Friday revealed that Lumumba however duped the company and instead sent them a heap of soil.

"Patrick Lumumba on diverse dates between August 7, 2023, and December 26, 2023, within Nairobi conspired with others who were not before the court to steal one million dollars from Yingchen International Trade Company Limited by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell to the company 84 metric tonnes of Titanium Niobium ore (Tantalite)," stated the ODPP.

The court heard that part of the fake export was intercepted at the Mombasa Port on January 30, 2024 moments after touchdown from Entebbe, Uganda by DCI detectives drawn from the Operations Support Unit (OSU).

Appearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Bernard Ochoi, the suspect was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony and obtaining money by false pretence.

The prosecution had prayed for the suspect to be denied bail, arguing that he was a flight risk since he had two documents and identification cards.

Magistrate Ochoi however released the suspect on a Ksh.10 million bond, with one surety.

The suspect was also to surrender all his travel documents.