This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
Published on August 13, 2019
A group of about 30 Kenyan Muslim pilgrims who were set to travel to Hajj in Saudi Arabia have lost over Ksh12 million (approximately $120,000) to a Nairobi-based agent.
The pilgrims, who were excited about the prospect of traveling to Mecca, were left stranded in Eastleigh, Nairobi after the agent, Nur Hassan Abdi, operating under the business name Ithaf Hajj and Umra Agency, received the money and disappeared.
According to a statement by the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem), Abdi allegedly received the cash from the prospective pilgrims for the 2019 Hajj but failed to fulfill his obligations.
Abdi is alleged to be on the run with the victims' passports after being paid between Ksh350,000 ($3,500) and Ksh400,000 ($4,000) by each individual.
One of the victims, Ibrahim Mohammed, claimed that Abdi approached him at his home, saying he runs a registered agency that takes people to Hajj.
"At first, I did not believe him, so later on, it emerged that he did not approach me alone. He was going door to door asking people if they would be willing to go to Hajj this year through his agency," Mohammed explained.
He added that he deposited Ksh600,000 ($6,000) to the agency's account and waited for the day of traveling to Saudi Arabia but the agent was nowhere to be found.
Supkem confirmed that Abdi and his agency were duly registered and accredited but failed to submit a list of names, payments, or passports of prospective pilgrims for the 2019 Hajj.
After learning about Abdi's actions, Supkem deregistered his agency and strongly condemned his conduct, stating that they will not tolerate similar dishonesty in the future.
