This archive report was first published on 30 October 2019.
On August 22, 2015, Jared Otieno, a self-described businessman, made a grand entrance in Meru as he went to pay his wife's dowry. The event was attended by influential political figures and celebrities who had accompanied him from Nairobi. Otieno's visit brought a village in Meru to a standstill with a fleet of sleek fuel guzzlers and choppers.
Months later, Otieno's wedding at the high-end Windsor hotel was an invite-only affair themed in white and gold, attended by the who's who in Kenya. The lavish ceremony was described as a 'royal wedding' by some of the invitees.
However, Otieno's life took a turn for the worse when he was arraigned on June 22, 2017, after it was alleged that he had obtained Sh22 million from two complainants on the pretext that he could sell them gold. He was charged alongside businessman Sikanda Saleh.
Fast forward to May this year, Otieno and 15 others appeared before Magistrate Francis Andayi charged with conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence in a fake gold scandal. Otieno denied the allegations, but police found a brand-new Bentley and a Sh30 million customised Porsche Panamera in the parking lot of his premises in Karen and Lavington, Nairobi.
According to the police, Otieno's house in Karen was 'in a class of its own'. The businessman is described as having international connections and being fluent in French to help him handle some of his business deals.
