NAIROBI, Kenya – What was supposed to be a straightforward real estate investment turned into a financial nightmare for Rahma Abdullahi Adam, a U.S.-based Kenyan woman who claims she was defrauded of $216,000 (Sh27.8 million) by Taaj Money Transfer in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
Now, she’s urging the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to press charges against the company’s former manager, Abdullahi Abdi Hussein, the prime suspect in the case.
Rahma’s ordeal began in 2023, when she entrusted Taaj Money Transfer with funds meant for a real estate project in Kenya.
Upon returning to the U.S., she discovered that the money never reached its intended destination.
In an attempt to recover the funds, her father traveled from Tana River to Nairobi, only to be met with claims that the money had vanished within Taaj’s system.
At first, Abdi allegedly denied ever receiving the funds but later promised to sell his shares in the company to reimburse Rahma.
Months passed, but no repayment was made. Frustrated, she flew back to Kenya on December 31, 2024, determined to track down the missing funds.
Legal Action and Arrest
Rahma formally reported the case to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Kilimani on January 2, 2025.
This led to Abdi’s arrest and subsequent arraignment at the Kibera Law Courts on January 6.
While the DCI sought to detain him for further investigations, the court granted him bail at Sh100,000—an amount Rahma’s lawyer, Danstan Omari, argues is insignificant compared to the lost millions.
Rahma Abdullahi Adam who is an American citizen of Somali origin addresses the press in Nairobi where she said that she has written a letter to the DPP Renson Igonga to have Eastleigh businessman Abdullahi Abdi Hussein be prosecuted for allegedly conning her of USD213 000…
In response to the scandal, Taaj Money Transfer’s Eastleigh branch was shut down, and Abdi was dismissed as branch manager.
However, Rahma has yet to receive her money, and her attempts to resolve the matter outside of court have hit a wall.
Omari, in a letter to the ODPP, stressed the financial and emotional toll Rahma has endured while pursuing justice.
She has spent millions on flights, accommodation, and lost work opportunities while staying in Nairobi.
Attempts to mediate through community elders have also been blocked, with some suggesting she has little chance of recovering her money.
Now, Rahma is turning to Kenya’s legal system, urging the ODPP to charge the suspect under Article 157 of the Constitution.
She remains hopeful that the justice system will hold those responsible accountable and help her recover her hard-earned money.
