Emmanuel Wafula Othatcher and Willy Kiplimo: The Gold Scammers Behind the KSh 129.5 Million Heist

Two suspected gold cartels were brought to court on Monday for allegedly defrauding over Ksh 1 million (approximately 1.27 million USD) through deceptive promises of gold supply.
Emmanuel Wafula Othatcher and Willy Kiplimo appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution claims that the defendants conspired to swindle Tanner Caldwell Cook by falsely asserting their ability to facilitate the sale of 2,820 kilograms of gold.

The court’s charge sheet indicates that the defendants are alleged to have committed their offenses on multiple occasions between March 31 and May 30, 2024, within the jurisdiction of Nairobi City County.
In addition to these charges, they face a separate allegation of unlawfully acquiring a sum of money from the complainant by falsely claiming they would supply gold. Both individuals have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them and have been granted release on a bond set at Ksh 2 million.