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REVEALED: How city brokers are milking millions from Chinese investors

By STELLA CHERONO December 22nd, 2017 2 min read

Police have sounded an alarm over the increasing number of conmen targeting Chinese businessmen and their employees with unscrupulous deals.

Records of complaints at police stations reveal schemers who use their connections to obtain fake documents and flee with millions of shillings.

The conmen, who masquerade as dealers and brokers, even threaten the foreigners into paying protection fee.

Mr John Zeyun Yang, the owner of Edermann Properties Limited, the developers of Great Wall Apartments, Mombasa Road, recently reported to the police that a Johnson Omwando Juma had threatened him over a non-existent Sh4.7 million debt.

“I was buying some property in Kenya in 2012 through a broker,” said Mr Yang. “I cleared with him in 2013 but, in August this year, this Johnson guy started contacting me, saying there is a balance I had not paid him.”

DIFFERENT DEAL

Mr Yang said he had never dealt with Mr Juma but the broker, Mr Martin Njihia, who said he had a different deal with Mr Juma that had nothing to do with Mr Yang.

Central Police Station Criminal Investigations Officer Kiberenge Seroney said Mr Juma was arrested on Friday over claims of threatening to kill Mr Yang.

In a text message, he allegedly said he could “engage the underworld in order to get payments” and “cannot guarantee” Mr Yang’s safety.

Mr Juma was detained at Central Police Station and on Tuesday charged with demanding by menace through threats on email and voice.

Four months ago, Chinese contractor Alice Caixia Xiong lodged a complaint to the police that she had been conned of Sh50 million after being promised to be awarded a construction contract.

Again, a few months ago, three City Hall officers were arrested for allegedly conning Chinese developer Li Xue Sh15 million for ‘planning approvals’ for Elephant Real Estate.

Last year, Immigration officers arrested a man in Rumuruti, Laikipia County, for allegedly conning nine Chinese of Sh2.7 million in the guise of providing them with work permits.