This archive report was first published on 14 August 2019.
At least 30 Kenyan Muslim pilgrims have lost their life-changing savings after a Nairobi-based agent, Nur Hassan Abdi, disappeared with their money meant for the 2019 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem), Abdi, who operated under the business name Ithaf Hajj and Umra Agency, received payments ranging from Ksh350,000 ($3,500) to Ksh400,000 ($4,000) from each of the prospective pilgrims.
Abdi allegedly failed to provide the pilgrims with their passports, leaving them stranded in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
One of the victims, Ibrahim Mohammed, claimed that Abdi approached him at his home, promising to take him to Hajj through a registered agency.
"At first, I did not believe him, but 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.
After depositing Ksh600,000 ($6,000) to the agency's account, Mohammed waited for the day of traveling to Saudi Arabia but Abdi 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.
Following the scam, Supkem deregistered Abdi's agency and condemned his actions, stating that they will not tolerate such conduct moving forward.
