Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested the key suspect behind the plot to defraud two foreigners in a $439 trillion cash-on-transit deal—a baffling figure that is almost 200 times the total value of US dollars in circulation.
DCI believes that Isaiah Aluodo Belek, is the mastermind behind the fraud which has also implicated eight other accused persons.
According to the sleuths, the suspect was arrested at his Gigiri hideout in Nairobi by the Operations Support detectives and is believed to have authored communications with the complainants.
“The mastermind in the multi-trillion-dollar fraud implicating eight other accused persons has been flushed out of his Gigiri hideout in Nairobi by the Operations Support detectives,” said DCI in a statement on Saturday.
DCI said that the suspect is believed to have authored communications with the complainants, joins his 8 accomplices who were charged at Milimani Law Courts on Friday.
The DCI also said that Aluodo was charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, possession of counterfeit banknotes and possession of police uniforms.
However, he pleaded not guilty and the prosecution objected to his request to be released on bail.
The Commission also said that the decision would be taken on 21 November.
“Meanwhile, Isaiah Aluodo remains in police custody and will be arraigned on Monday. His Mercedes Benz, believed to be proceeds of fraud, has also been impounded,” the DCI said.
Charges of conspiracy to defraud, being in possession of forged banknotes and possessing police uniforms were preferred against the accused, who pleaded not guilty and sought to be released on bond. The prosecution objected and the determination will be made on Nov 21.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Aluodo remains in police custody being processed for arraignment Monday. His Mercedes Benz which is believed to be a proceed of fraud has also been detained.
Aluodo popular known as ‘Izo’ in his circles was in 2018, according to DCI part of a notorious gang of laptop thieves in the city who were arrested whose mugshots were released by DCI in Kilimani.
Fourteen stolen laptops were also recovered from their possession.
After he was arrested, he admitted to having an accomplice at Nairobi’s South B estate and led them to his house.
When officers raided the house they recovered one new laptop that had been stolen and arrested a Amisi Erick.
“The two then led our officers to Imenti House, where two other suspects George Njagi Maina and Mr Kevin Njagi Kariuki were arrested. They had 13 stolen laptops in their possession,” DCI said at the time.
The suspects then narrated how they rebranded and repackage stolen laptops using new polythene bags before displaying them at various outlets across the city and selling them as new gadgets.
“Such is the extent of rot in the computer business. The underworld of laptop business in Nairobi is very huge,” police said.
According to the then Kilimani DCIO Fatuma Hadi Abdi, the quartet had been stealing the gadgets from unsuspecting victims attending meetings, conferences and seminars in city hotels, from offices, hospitals and restaurants.
The most notorious and recognisable of the four suspects was Izo, who used to steal pens and textbooks from his classmates at a secondary school in Nairobi, according to his former schoolmates.
DCI is yet to explain how he has been roaming the streets despite being charged with stealing laptops and being in possession of stolen items.
