NAIROBI, Kenya – Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a 38-year-old woman accused of defrauding a Chinese national of KSh13 million in a fake business deal involving aluminium alloys.
The suspect, identified as Harriet Mary Wabwire, allegedly posed as the Director of a company known as OTD Group Limited and claimed she had the capacity to supply nearly 24 tonnes of aluminium alloys to the investor.
According to a statement released by the DCI on X, Wabwire went to great lengths to appear credible, allegedly forging a bill of lading and a Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) certificate of conformity to support her claims.
“These documents falsely asserted that a consignment of 23,890 kilograms of aluminium alloys had been securely packed in a 40-foot container, ready for shipment from the Port of Mombasa to Ningbo, China,” the DCI said.
ARREST OF A CON WOMAN38-year-old Harriet Mary Wabwire has been apprehended by Kamukunji detectives for her role in a bold scam that deceived a Chinese national out of USD 101,000.Wabwire cleverly posed as the Director of OTD Group Limited; she claimed that she was in a
Convinced by the forged documents and the promise of a legitimate shipment, the Chinese national wired KSh13 million to Wabwire’s bank account.
However, shortly after receiving the funds, Wabwire reportedly went off the grid—switching off her phone and disappearing without fulfilling the deal.
The victim later filed a complaint with DCI officers, who launched investigations and eventually traced Wabwire to a hideout in Tassia estate, Nairobi. She was taken into custody and is expected to be arraigned in court.
DCI says the suspect may face charges related to obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and conspiracy to defraud.
The case adds to the growing number of complex fraud schemes targeting foreign investors in Kenya, as authorities warn of the need for due diligence when entering into high-value trade deals.
