馃嚢馃嚜KenyaEast Africa
Man sentenced for KSh 151 million fake tantalum mineral scam
via Tuko5 min read
A man has been sentenced to three years in prison or a KSh 10 million fine for a KSh 151 million scam involving the fraudulent sale of sand disguised as tantalum minerals. The convict, who used multiple aliases including Ulundu Patrick Lumumba, Gabriel Kulonda, and Lumumba Patrick Byarufu, was also ordered to repay the KSh 151 million to the defrauded Chinese victim. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations DCI uncovered the scheme in 2024, which involved containers of sand being falsely declared as tantalum minerals. The deception was discovered when one container was opened overseas, revealing drums of sand. Subsequent investigations at the Port of Mombasa found additional containers similarly packed. Lumumba was arrested on April 5, 2026, upon his return from Entebbe, Uganda, after attempting to re-enter Kenya using alternative identification documents and evading immigration officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. He was later apprehended on Harambee Avenue with a Congolese passport. The KSh 151 million in the syndicate's account was frozen, though KSh 49 million had already been obtained.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Tuko.
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