4 Chinese nationals arrested for allegedly mining Gold without permits in Vihiga

4 Chinese nationals arrested

brian oruta

July 7, 2019 4:04 PM

They are in police custody

File photo: 5 Chinese Nationals arrested with Dangerous items threatening national security

Four Chinese Nationals have been arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Vihiga.

The four were arrested on Saturday night for supposedly mining Gold at Maganyi village, without necessary permits.

In a tweet by DCI, the suspects who include; Ou Haiwen, Zhang Jinyu, Jiang Hualin and Huang Lei are in police custody, as they continue with further investigations.

“FOUR Chinese Nationals alleged to have been mining/prospecting for #Gold without permit were last night arrested by @DCI_Kenya Detectives from Vihiga at Maganyi village, Vihiga County. The four; Ou Haiwen, Zhang Jinyu, Jiang Hualin & Huang Lei in custody & interrogations ongoing,” said the DCI.

7 arrested

The arrest comes barely a month after DCI detectives arrested seven Chinese nationals who were operating businesses in Gikomba Market.

DCI detectives raid Gikomba market, 7 Chinese nationals arrested after CS Fred Matiang'i order Pulse Live Kenya

A statement from Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s office said that the seven had been deported in accordance with the law after Dr Matiang'i signed their deportation orders, upon their arrest.

"Upon further interrogation, seven Chinese nationals were found to have vagrantly flouted immigration rules. Officers established that three of them had no valid work permits while the other four have been engaging in employment and other income generating activities unauthorized under their respective work permit classes. Consequently the Cabinet Secretary in charge of immigration has signed deportation orders as recommended by law," the statement read in part.

Their deportation came after traders and general members of the public raised concerns over the growing dominance of Chinese traders within major city markets in Kenya.

brian oruta