The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has vehemently opposed the release of international drug trafficker, fraudster and organized crime kingpin ‘Jeam Emmanuel Morlon’ alias ‘Lamarca J. Benjamin’ and also known as ‘Jon Imanol Sapieha Candela’ or ‘El Sapo’, citing grave security threats to key witnesses and national safety concerns.
Morlon, a figure entrenched in Spain’s underworld for over three decades, has been linked to high-profile financial crimes, drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and money laundering across Europe.
In Kenya, he is accused of masterminding a multi-million-shilling gold scam syndicate that primarily targeted foreign investors under the banner of AFREX Bridge Connections Ltd.
In an affidavit submitted to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Court, Sergeant Thomas Othoo raised alarms over Morlon’s direct threats to key witnesses and complainants.
Authorities allege that he sent an intimidating image to one of the complainants, Gentil, accompanied by photographs of Gentil’s wife and seven-year-old daughter, warning of grave consequences should the case proceed.
The prosecution argues that these actions were calculated to instill fear and coerce the victim into withdrawing the case.
Given his history of criminal evasion and influence within international syndicates, prosecutors insist that granting Morlon bail would not only jeopardize public safety but also allow him the opportunity to abscond once again.
Morlon now faces charges of fraudulently obtaining over Sh12 million from ‘Mercuri Ferdinando G’ on January 20, 2025, under false pretenses that he could facilitate the exportation of 550 kilograms of high-value cargo from Kenya to Dubai.
The scheme was ultimately exposed as another elaborate deception.
This latest charge adds to a prior accusation of defrauding a Romanian and a Swiss national of Sh15.5 million ($120,000) in a fake gold deal.
His arrest on February 4, 2025, at Nanyuki’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy led to the seizure of weapons and fraudulent documents.
Among the recovered items were two Glock pistols, more than 90 rounds of 9mm ammunition, multiple gun magazines, forged mineral dealership certificates, a bulletproof vest, 14 smoke grenades, and assorted government seals and stamps.
Investigators confirmed that Morlon is not a licensed firearm holder, deepening suspicions over his ties to organized criminal networks with access to illegal arms.
Following his arraignment on Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains incarcerated at Industrial Area Prison while the court deliberates on his bail application.
His defense team dismissed the allegations as “driven by fear rather than evidence,” but the prosecution has urged the court to deny his release, arguing that his international criminal ties, financial resources, and history of evasion make him a severe flight risk.
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