Wetangula speaks on fake gold saga

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula.

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula has broken his silence on the fake gold scam saga, dismissing it as a ‘non-issue.’

Speaking for the first time on a controversy that has raged for weeks, prompting Director of Public Prosecutions to order a police investigation into a leaked audio clip titled “Wetang’ula exposed in fake gold scam,” the Senator denied claims that he had been summoned to record a statement with authorities. 

The controversy revolves around a Dubai-based trader said to have lost Sh400 million to a fake gold syndicate.

Wetang'ula said he was not aware of the matter and refuted claims that he was questioned by detectives yesterday.

“I am here for my party meetings. I am not aware of what you are talking about, it is a non-issue to me and I don't want to engage in it,”  said Wetang'ula yesterday at his Ford Kenya party headquarters.

Wetang'ula said he had no intention to record a statement on the matter.

“From here I am going to condole with the family of Oduya Oprong (Amagoro MP). I’ll be in a committee meeting at the Senate and I’ll be in the plenary in the afternoon debating issues of the country as they come on the floor,” he said.

Mr Haji, who had directed police to speed up the probe into the matter including the leaked audio clip purported to be a conversation between a Kenyan contact and a representative of the Dubai official, said he was yet to receive any report.

“I am yet to get the report on the gold scam investigations because some of the suspects have been away,” Haji said at a City hotel shortly after meeting religious leaders.

He then referred journalists to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti who was standing beside him, but the DCI declined to comment.

Earlier, the DCI had told The Standard that he had not summoned Wetang'ula.

“I have not yet summoned him and I am not ready for now,” he said.

In the leaked clip, the Kenyan contact is heard assuring the supposed representative of the Dubai official that the cargo would be cleared soon for Dubai.

The Kenyan contact is heard mentioning names of President Uhuru Kenyatta, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Interior CS Fred Matiang’i as some of those who were "intervening to ensure the cargo is released."

As the controversy raged, Wetang’ula flew out of the country to Hong Kong where he attended an Anti-Corruption summit before returning to the country last weekend.

Already a team has been assembled to investigate the entire fake gold syndicate that is said to be running into billions of shillings  and targeting foreign nationals.

Since 2015, sources at police indicate that about 358 foreigners have been deported from Kenya for their involvement in illegal trade, fake gold, drug trafficking and other transnational crimes.

Police have in the past few weeks intensified operations with several suspects who including businessmen Jared Otieno who has since been cleared of defrauding a Chinese national Sh300 million in a fake gold.

Otieno and 15 others were on Tuesday last week charged with conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences and preparing to commit a felony. He denied the charges before Magistrate Francis Andayi.