Wamuzi News Ke
A Dutch national was violently attacked and robbed of a staggering Sh3.6 million in what police are now calling a sophisticated gold scam gone horribly wrong.
The foreigner, who had flown into Kenya from Dubai with dreams of striking gold — quite literally — ended up in a nightmare scenario. What was supposed to be a lucrative business deal turned into a well-coordinated trap deep in Kakamega County.
According to police, the man had been lured into the country by a smooth-talking online contact known only as “Smith,” who promised him access to cheap gold in Ikolomani, a sub-county in Western Kenya.
From Nairobi to Kisumu and then on to Kakamega, the Dutchman followed the digital breadcrumbs left by his new “business partner.” But the gold promised never materialized. Instead, what awaited him was a violent ambush inside a nondescript building on the outskirts of Kakamega Town.
Sources say the victim was picked up in Kisumu and driven to the supposed gold site on Wednesday night. With a bag full of cash and high hopes, he stepped into the trap. Inside the building, three unidentified men beat him, restrained him, and made off with USD29,950 — the equivalent of Sh3.6 million — before abandoning him near Kisumu International Airport.
The man was left battered and in shock, suffering visible facial injuries and body pains. Port Health officials treated him and confirmed he was in stable condition.
This case has sent shockwaves through the local community and among law enforcement, who say it reflects a worrying trend of con artistry targeting unsuspecting foreigners. Authorities believe this is just the latest in a wave of gold-related scams that have plagued Kenya’s image and threaten its national security.
“The scammers keep evolving,” said a detective familiar with the investigation. “We try to stay ahead, but they are relentless — and now they’re drawing in victims from halfway across the world.”
Police have confirmed that several similar cases have surfaced in recent years, with Nairobi increasingly becoming a hotspot for fake gold deals. Many of the fraudsters, often posing as legitimate dealers, have been arrested and are facing charges in court.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has since urged foreign embassies to warn their citizens about the dangers of falling for such scams.
“We call on all embassies and high commissions to educate their nationals coming in for gold trade to first consult the Department of Mines and Geology,” a DCI spokesperson stated. “There is a surge in sophisticated cons posing as legitimate dealers.”
Investigations into the Kakamega heist are ongoing, with detectives piecing together surveillance footage, digital communications, and eyewitness accounts in a bid to bring the culprits to justice.
As Kenya battles to crack down on these high-level cons, this latest case stands as a chilling reminder: in the shadows of gold, danger lurks.
