For seven years, it is reported that some Sh296 million slipped quietly out of a Nairobi shopping mall, passing through bank accounts, foreign currency exchanges, and business transactions that appeared ordinary on the surface.
However, in a Nairobi court on Tuesday, prosecutors told a different story, one in which the money was allegedly stolen by a trusted employee and carefully laundered to conceal its origins.
The money was broken into smaller sums, channelled through company accounts, converted into dollars, wired to other businesses and disguised as payments for imported goods, a money trail prosecutors say points squarely to money laundering.
That is the case the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) laid before the court when Mohamed Osman Abdille, an employee of Mega Shopping Mall in Eastleigh, was charged with stealing the funds.
Abdille, who is also a director of Fatzam Enterprises Limited (FEL), is accused of siphoning Sh296,069,084 belonging to the mall’s owner, businessman Abdi Mohamed Ali, between January 1, 2018, and September 2024.
Mr Mohamed Osman Abdile.
Photo credit: Richard Munguti | Nation Media Group
He is jointly charged with his company, Fatzam Enterprises Limited (FEL) and a fellow director, Hussein Ibrahim Barre, who did not appear in court for plea taking.
According to the prosecution, the money first passed through accounts controlled by Abdille and his company before being transferred to other firms and individuals in what investigators described as a deliberate attempt to conceal its origin.
Court documents show that more than Sh116 million was traced to FEL accounts held at Absa Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Equity Bank Limited. In addition, Abdile was indicted for being in possession of over Sh107 million, believed by police to be proceeds of crime.
On March 12, 2024, investigators allegedly found Sh4,759,029 sitting in an FEL account at KCB Eastleigh Branch.
Prosecutors say the money was part of the stolen funds and had been retained in the account despite being proceeds of crime.
As the alleged scheme expanded, some of the money was converted into foreign currency and routed through what the prosecution termed “commercial cover transactions”.
On August 20, 2024, at Absa Bank Eastleigh Branch, Abdille and Barre are accused of arranging a payment of $8,300 (Sh1,070,700) to Arabian Milling & Food Company, claiming it was for the purchase of spaghetti.
Prosecutors told the court the transaction was a smokescreen and that the accused knew the money was part of the stolen Sh296 million from Abdi Mohamed Ali (proprietor of Mega Shopping Mall).
Similar transactions followed. On September 18, 2024, the accused allegedly concealed $55,700 (Sh7,185,300) and $55,650 (Sh7,187,850), and on November 4, 2024, another $19,790 (Sh2,552,910), again claiming the funds were for importing spaghetti.
Investigators also traced large local transfers. The court heard that Sh32,252,500 was sent to Gigi International Limited, with another Sh1 million transferred on July 1, 2024.
On July 2, 2020, the accused allegedly wired Sh10.6 million to Marray and Sons Venture Limited, Sh990,000 to Ahmed Jelle Abdille, and Sh1,270,578 to Ada Food Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited.
Prosecutors said all the transfers were designed to break the money trail and disguise the proceeds of theft.
Further, on December 28, 2024, Abdille and Barre allegedly transferred Sh650,000 to Hussein Ibrahim Barre.
On July 1, 2020, they are accused of retaining Sh45 million in an FEL account at Equity Bank Eastleigh Branch, fully aware it was proceeds of crime.
The final count states that on February 19, 2025, the accused held Sh2,749,998 in an Equity Bank account, knowing it was stolen money.
Abdille faces 30 counts, including conspiracy to commit a felony, stealing by servant, money laundering and being in possession of proceeds of crime.
He is jointly charged with Fatzam Enterprises Limited and Barre, who is yet to be arraigned.
He denied all the charges and applied for release on bond, saying he would attend court to face trial. The prosecution did not oppose the application.
The magistrate released Abdille on a bond of Sh3 million or an alternative cash bail of Sh2 million, and ordered the prosecution to supply all witness statements to enable him to prepare his defence.
