Anti-banking fraud unit detectives take over TSS Sh9b property probe

Mombasa Businessman the late Tahir Sheikh Said (TSS). (Photo: Maarufu Mohamed/Standard)

The Anti-Banking Fraud Unit is investigating a case involving Tahir Sheikh Said's (TSS) Sh9 billion property.

Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alex Muteti yesterday told a court that since the unit's detectives took over the case, the office of the DPP was unable to supply the defence with police statements.

Mr Muteti said this after four suspects in the case complained that despite the court having ordered they be supplied with the statements, they had not received any.

"I am made to understand that the Anti-Banking Fraud Unit has now joined the multi-agency team investigating the matter from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. They are in possession of the police file containing the statements and that is why I am not able to supply the defence with the statements," Muteti told Senior Principal Magistrate Francis Kyambia.

Muteti told the court that the DPP did not investigate criminal matters as that was the work of the police.

He said they rely on what the police give them, and since none had been supplied, they were asking for more time.

The suspects in the case are a Briton, Awey Ahmed Mohamed, his brother Zein Mohamed Ahmed, TSS former financial controller Zahiz  Abas Khala  and TSS former Chief Executive Officer Mwangi Muturi.

Mr Zein is a relative of TSS's first wife. TSS was one of Coast region's most accomplished businessman with vast interests in several parts of the country and the world. He died early this year at a time when his business empire was in serious turmoil.

Sources said the detectives were investigating claims that some of the suspects had bought two buildings housing a bank along Moi and Nkurumah avenue in Mombasa town.

Mr Muturi's lawyer Gikandi Ngibuini told the court that the prosecution was violating the rights of his client by failing to supply him with statements of the witnesses in the case.

The four suspects denied charges of fraud and stealing Sh9 billion using forged signatures.

Detectives believe the looting of TSS property involved his relatives, with the help of a fraudster believed to be operating near TSS building, whose title was used to get loans from some banks.

The accused were ordered to report back to court on March 23 when the magistrate will listen to the DPP's application that Gikandi be blocked from representing Muturi.