Nairobi — Detectives in Nairobi have apprehended a prime suspect implicated in a Sh 151 million Tantalum mineral export scam to China.
Agents attached to the Operations Support Unit (OSU) of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) nabbed Ulundu Patrick Lumumba, alias Gabriel Kulonda, along Harambee Avenue after arriving in the country from Entebbe, Uganda, on Friday morning.
The DCI said that Lumumba had managed to evade detection by Immigration officials at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) despite a stop order being placed on his passport under the name Gabriel Kulonda Ilungu.
He had sneaked into the country using a Ugandan Interstate pass card.
"Determined to sneak back into the country and further his felonious activities, the suspect used a Ugandan Interstate pass card in the name of Lumumba Patrick Byarufu, and upon arrest was also found in possession of yet another Congolese Passport number in the name of Patrick Ulundu Lumumba," the DCI said.
Lumumba stands accused of defrauding a Chinese national of Sh151 million after one container declared to contain tantalum minerals was opened in China, only to be found loaded with drums of sand.
DCI said preliminary investigations revealed that the two containers had already been cleared and shipped to Dubai in transit to the same buyer.
This discovery initiated investigations at the port of Mombasa, part of the transit route.
3 containers seized in Mombasa
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In Mombasa, Detectives discovered three additional containers containing sand, declared as Tantalum minerals.
Initially, two 20ft containers containing sand were discovered at the port, followed by the interception of a third 40ft container at a warehouse within the port premises.
The agency disclosed that the 40ft container had passed all verification processes without proper documentation.
"This totaled to six, the number of containers of sand declared as tantalum minerals," the DCI added.
It was unclear if all six containers were meant for the same buyer.
Further detectives said that some port officials believed to have compromised security checks to facilitate the illegal transactions are under investigation.
The DCI said the court had since frozen the bank account in which the Sh151 million was deposited.
"However, the syndicate had already obtained over Sh49 million along the way by working with suspected rogue bank officials under active investigations," the agency added.
The DCI added that a court battle with the influential members of the scamming ring is underway, as they fight to have the intercepted millions wired to accounts recently opened with a local bank.
Lumumba was set to be arraigned at Milimani Law Court on Friday.
