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How Taaj Money Transfer branch manager Abdullahi Abdi Hussein conned US-based caregiver Rahma Adam of Sh27.5 million

Her lawyer Danstan Omari has since written a letter to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution requesting approval of charges against the suspect

A Kenyan-United States citizen woman has narrated an ordeal on how she was conned Ksh 27.5 million by a renowned money transfer bureau in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

Rahma Abdullahi Adam, who is a child-care giver in New York, United States narrated how she travelled to Kenya sometime in June 2023 to complete a house purchase transaction.

She says she started looking for an exchange bureau around Eastleigh and through the advice of her father through his friend took her to Taaj Money Transfer operating in Eastleigh with a couple of branches around the city.

Rahma says she met the suspect Abdullahi Abdi Hussein who helped her exchange and transfer of US$ 22,000 (Ksh 2,842,400) at the Eastleigh branch located on the first floor of Yare Towers, a transaction that was overseen by the lawyers of the firm engaged om the purchase of the house, whom she paid Ksh 700,000.

The transaction was smooth and open and Rahma confirmed the same with the advocates. Abdi further indicated to her that if she wished to do further transactions, she could reach him out and he was ready to help.

On May 2, 2024, Abdi called Rahma and proposed her to discuss about business which revolved the opening of a new branch by the name Daimon which would be co-owned and he intended Rahma to buy 20 per cent stake of the new branch, going for Ksh 12,920,000 (US$100,000).

While in the US, she followed the instructions of Abdi, travelled to Minneapolis and was cordially welcomed by an attaché of Taaj whom she gave the money and two days later, she was given a receipt indicating it had been received by Ramad Pay Inc instead of Taaj.

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She contacted Abdi and he confirmed the money was received and deposited in her savings account.

Towards the end of November 2024, she called Abdi to confirm the progress of the business but he started giving reasons decrying his ailing mother among other domestic challenges.

Rahma became suspicious that she was conned. She contacted her father in Kenya Abdullahi Farah Aden who was involved in the transactions and told him to call Abdi and inform him that she is no longer interested in the business and she would wish to have her money refunded to her father.

Abdi tried to woo Rahma into another deal claiming that the Daimon business might have failed but he had a better idea to give her 50 percent stake in the Taaj Money Transfer Agency, Eastleigh Branch for an initial Ksh 12.9 million but she stood firm to withdraw from the deal.

By that time, she was demanding Ksh 27,519,387 to be remitted back to her.

In December last year, Rahma travelled to Kenya to follow up the money from Taaj Money Transfer but based on Abdi’s and Taaj’s fraudulent activities, the Eastleigh branch was shut down and Abdi allegedly fired.

Rahma’s efforts to have the matter solved out of court by elders from her community have become futile with Abdi allegedly telling her that she not will go too far with her quest for justice.

She consequently lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Kilimani police station on January 2.

Abdi was arrested four days later and presented before the Kibera magistrate’s court on January 6, under a miscellaneous application  and he was released on a cash bail of Ksh 100,000.

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Her lawyer Danstan Omari has since written a letter to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution requesting approval of charges against the suspect.

According to the letter, which is dated February 1, 2025, Rahma says she has incurred hefty expenses in her pursuit for justice.

“I am continuing to incur costs in my stay here in Kenya, ranging from flight tickets to accommodation and missing my work back in the US which is my source of income and livelihood,” she stated.

The matter is pending before a Kibera court as investigations are underway and the mention will be on February 5, 2025, for further directions.

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