Inside diplomat long search for Sh95m elusive gold

Gold scam Godoua Imendji Jesus Pierrot during a press briefing at Serena Hotel in Nairobi. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard] When Jesus Pierrot, a diplomat and businessman from the Central African Republic, boarded a flight to Nairobi in mid-January this year, he was filled with hope and anticipation. He was not just visiting Kenya, he was on a mission, he recounted on yesterday. Representing both his country and business interests in China and Central Africa, Pierrot had come in pursuit of gold, a venture that would ultimately become a harrowing ordeal, costing him over Sh95 million. "I am a businessman operating in China and the Central African Republic. I also serve as the Central African Republic's Minister Consul in China," Pierrot stated. His journey began in December 2024, in Bangui, the capital of his home country. There, he met a fellow Central African who claimed to be an experienced gold dealer with an international clientele. According to Pierrot, the man did not just speak persuasively - he also produced samples of the gold he was trading. Intrigued, Pierrot paid Sh9.3 million (US$70,500) in cash for an initial consignment, under the agreement that it would be shipped to Hong Kong. However, upon arrival in Hong Kong, events took an unexpected turn. "We went to the customs office to check if the cargo had arrived, only for him to inform me that it had been confiscated by customs in Kenya," Pierrot explained. His associate claimed that the cargo's weight had exceeded the declared amount - 130 kilogrammes instead of the stated figure - because he had included diamonds in the shipment. What followed was a whirlwind of events. On January 14, Pierrot travelled to Kenya with a man named Moussa via business class, using an e-visa arranged by someone introduced to him as Peterson. At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Pierrot said his compatriot presented himself as a representative of another party. A formal Sale-Purchase Agreement (SPA) was drafted for the delivery of 60 kilogrammes of gold, at a total cost of Sh11 million (US$86,000). "The contract was signed by both parties, with a contract period of 12 months," Pierrot noted. It was at this point that he was introduced to a Kenyan customs officer. Equipped with what appeared to be official documentation, the officer guided Pierrot through a purported customs clearance process. As a gesture of appreciation, Pierrot gave the officer a token sum of Sh5,000. But this was only the beginning. He then handed over Sh9.7 million (US$75,000) in cash for documentation and various commissions. Meanwhile, he instructed his business partners in China to transfer an additional Sh38.7 million (US$299,100). A further Sh14.8 million (US$115,000) was paid in cash, bringing the total to Sh72 million (US$558,000) - not including the Sh14.5 million (US$112,000) previously given to his compatriot in Central Africa, and an additional Sh9.4 million (US$73,000) paid in the Philippines. Still, no gold was delivered. "On January 18, I booked a business class flight to Hong Kong after agreeing with Peterson that the consignment would be placed on the same passenger flight. I left my hotel for the airport just minutes before departure to wait for Peterson to deliver the cargo. Unfortunately, this did not happen. My calls to Peterson were met with vague promises," he said. Upon arriving in Hong Kong, Pierrot was informed that the consignment had been diverted to the Philippines. Determined to recover his investment, he travelled there. His compatriot showed him a package similar to the one he had seen in Kenya. They agreed to meet again the following day - but by then, his associate had left the country. "I made several trips back to Kenya, the most recent being on February 26. Neither Peterson nor my countryman was answering my calls," Pierrot said. In an unexpected turn of events, Pierrot spotted the customs officer at Yaya Centre in Kilimani. He contacted the police, and the officer was arrested. Peterson was later also arrested in Kiambu. However, the pursuit of justice, Pierrot claims, was as murky as the fraudulent gold deal that had lured him to Kenya. "Peterson told me the money and gold were being held by a security company. He asked for two to three days to sort things out," Pierrot said. Soon after, he was informed that Peterson had been taken to Central Police Station, supposedly for fingerprinting. As it was a weekend, Pierrot assumed the matter would proceed after the weekend. However, by Monday, Peterson had been released on a cash bail of Sh500,000 - without Pierrot being notified. "I was actually informed by a business partner in China that Peterson had been released. I was shocked. This is serious, especially considering these individuals could still be out there, defrauding others," he said. His frustrations continued when he attended court on Wednesday for a scheduled hearing, only to find that the case had been moved to another courtroom without his knowledge. The suspects were also absent. "If I had been in court with my lawyer when the bail ruling was made, we would have contested it, considering the amount of money I've lost. The bail granted was minimal. But all of it happened in secrecy," Pierrot lamented.

Inside diplomat long search for Sh95m elusive gold

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