Another Liberian detained in Sh54 million fake gold scam
Liberian Carace Ownze Toomey at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on April 14, 2023 over a Sh54m fake gold deal.
A Liberian charged with defrauding a Korean businessman of $408,229 (Sh54 million) in a fake gold transaction has been remanded in police custody ahead of the release of his pre-bail report.
Carace Ownze Toomey will be detained at the Capitol Hill Police Station until April 17.
Toomey is the second Liberian to be charged this week. Joseph Bedell, accused of the same offence, was charged on Thursday and remanded until April 17.
In court on Friday, Milimani senior principal magistrate Bernard Ochoi directed the probation officer to interview Toomey after state prosecutor James Gachoka opposed his plea for release on bail.
Defence lawyers Ishmael Nyaribo and Eric Mocha applied for Toomey to be freed on bail saying he was not a flight risk.
Mr Nyaribo told the court that the accused had been living in Kenya for nine years and was married to a Kenyan woman.
“Toomey is a person of fixed abode in Kenya. He is married to a Kenyan woman and has been blessed with children. He will not run away from his family. Police know where to get him should he fail to attend court,” he said.
Mr Nyaribo applied for his client’s release after Toomey denied receiving money from Shanmugm Sundar Darmaraju on March 30 and April 4.
The accused claimed he was in a position to ship 6.4kgs of gold from Liberia to Dubai through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi.
Rejecting Mr Nyaribo’s bail plea, the magistrate directed that a pre-bail report be prepared by a probation officer and presented in court on April 17, for consideration before a bond ruling is made.
The court ordered the accused be remanded at Capitol Hill Police station in Kilimani, Nairobi.
Mr Gachoka informed the court that the case will be consolidated with another in which two Congolese nationals - Mathew Bayindu Patsum and Mercelin wa Nyanguangu Bruce - are also charged with defrauding Darmaraju on March 30 2023 and April 4.
He also asked that the case against Toomey be presented before Milimani chief magistrate Lucas Onyina.
Police told Mr Ochoi that the mastermind of the fake gold trade is being sought and will soon be brought to book soon.
