This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
July 15, 2019
A Kazakhstani businessman, Ryskulov Damir, has been left stranded in Kenya after being allegedly defrauded of Sh150 million by two Kenyans.
According to an affidavit filed at the Chief Magistrates Court, Damir claims that the suspects, who were pretending to sell him coffee and artefacts, ended up defrauding him.
“It is in the interest of justice for this court to release my passport,” Damir said in his application.
He argued that as a complainant in the case, the confiscation of his passport without a court order or any explanation was unlawful, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
Damir, who holds a Kazakhstani passport, claimed that his travel documents had been confiscated by the DCI headquarters office while investigating his complaint and had not been returned to him.
He alleged that he and his brother, Yerlan Baimoldin, had entered into a business agreement with the suspects, who said they would export Kenyan tea, coffee, and artefacts to Kazakhstan.
However, the suspects allegedly convinced Damir to deposit Sh150 million into their accounts, which they claimed were licensed to deal in export business.
“Having the intention of doing business in Kenya, we knew that we will be travelling to this country and we decided that we should buy a house so that we can continue with the business of importing coffee, tea, and artefacts to our country,” Damir said in his application.
He claimed that the suspects had told him to deposit the money for the purchase of the house in a specific account, which belonged to Ma Pavel & Talia Andrew Fuel Building and Construction Company.
Damir said that he had reported the matter to the police, and some of the culprits had been arrested, including Stephen Roberts, Evelyn Adhiambo, and Berlin Owino.
However, he claimed that Owino was not part of those who stole from him and that he was not a flight risk.
“Unfortunately, the police also arrested security guard Berlin Owino, who was arraigned alongside Roberts and Adhiambo,” Damir said.
He lamented that he had been forced to stay in the same hotel, unable to communicate with his family or make any financial transactions.
The suspects will be arraigned in court for further directions, and the court will deliver its ruling on whether to release Damir's documents and grant him bail on Wednesday.
