A suspect in a Brazilian sugar fraud case where four businesspeople lost over Sh100 million to his criminal syndicate was arraigned after a probe.
Abdirizak Kassim Bare, 46 is a prime suspect in the case.
He was arrested and subsequently arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts, following completion of a meticulous investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on the ring of fraudsters who swindled the funds meant for the importation of 15,000 bags of the said food commodity.
The investigation established how between May and October 2023, the unsuspecting victims were lured into a business deal to import the sugar, thereby making payments totalling to over Sh100 million through five different bank accounts.
What followed were months of a wild goose-chase, with the victims trying to reach out to a serious fraud ring that had since vanished without a trace.
Broke and desperate to recover their monies, they (victims) reported the matter to the DCI, where the Operation Support Unit commenced a methodical probe of the case, findings that were forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution for further legal action.
The ODPP made a decision that the named suspects be arrested and charged, preferring eight counts including obtaining money by false pretences, an offence that contravenes section 313 of the penal code.
Consequently, the officers obtained warrants of arrest against the suspects.
The officers netted their first target, Kassim Bare, who on arraignment pleaded not guilty and was released on Sh3 million bond with the option of a cash bail of Sh500,000.
Pursuit of the remaining suspects is underway, police said.
Police say cases of fraud have been on the rise amid efforts to contain the trend.
The cases involve fake gold deals and land. Police say they have formed special units to focus on the issues, which have led to the arrest and arraignment of dozens of suspects so far.
Police say they are pursuing more cases.
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