Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has broken his silence on the fake gold scandal, disclosing details of what transpired when he met the Dubai-based businessmen who lost hundreds of millions in the scandal.
Raila reveals details of his meeting with Dubai-based businessmen in fake gold scam
Raila speaks for the first time on fake gold scam, reveals more details
File image of Raila Odinga
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Speaking in Kisii during the burial of Dr. David Ombati, Odinga divulged that he held a meeting with the businessmen who were swindled by the Nairobi based fake gold syndicate in a scandal that has so far seen several arrested with names of President Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga and CS Fred Matiangi cropping up.
Odinga revealed that it was his timely intervention during a meeting with the Dubai-based victims that saw the scandal brought to light.
“I was the whistle-blower in the fake gold syndicate when I discovered some people were using senior government officials’ names to con businessmen,”said the former Prime Minister.
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He stated that during the meeting, he was given a phone recording between the vitims and the fraudsters in which the fraudsters alleged that they had secured the help of Interior CS Fred Matiangi in releasing the gold consignment allegedly held at JKIA.
“I told the businessmen that whoever they were told would clear their gold was not Matiang’i after I was handed over a phone after one of them said he had spoken to Matiang’i. I clearly identified the voice on the other end as being of a different person altogether,” revealed Raila.
Raila Odinga flanked by other leaders during the burial of Dr David Ombati in Kisii yesterday
Pulse Live Kenya
The Africa Union Special Envoy on Infrastructure Development absolved Matiangi from all blame, stating that the CS is a victim of witch hunt by people keen on soiling his name and sinking his career.
“Matiang’i is as white as cotton and we will not allow anybody to taint his name or the image of any hardworking government officer. Those faking video clips or voices should be ready to face the law,” Raila asserted.
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Flamboyant city billionnaires roped in the scandal
At the center of the scandal are controversial businessmen Zaheer Jhanda and Jared Otieno who is currently in court over the fake gold trade.
In a recent interview, Jhanda opened up on his involvement in the deal and sensationally claimed that he had been approached by four politicians from Rift Valley to implicate Odinga in the scandal.
In a candid interview with Citizen TV, the flamboyant businessman stated that the controversial gold in the deal that would see him pocket Ksh 1.43 Billion was still in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Fake gold suspect Jared Otieno in court with others
Pulse Live Kenya
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“We are waiting for the gold to come from Congo so that we can be able to export it to Dubai. “ He asserted.
Cited as the mastermind of the foiled deal in which a Saudi Prince was swindled hundreds of millions of shillings for gold that was never to be, Zaheer distanced himself from all wrong-doing, maintaining that he is an honest businessman.
“My role was not to establish if the gold was genuine or fake…I am not a conman. I am a straight (forward) guy, I work hard for myself to get to where I want to get.” He stated.
Zaheer Jhanda during the Interview in which he opened up on his gold deal
Pulse Live Kenya
“The company contracted me for my consultancy services which was purely based on advisory on taxation and exportation of the gold that was to come from the Democratic Republic of Congo.” Stated Zaheer.
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For his services, Zaheer was to be paid a whopping 14300000 US dollars, an equivalent of Ksh 1.43 billion.
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