Ulundu Patrick Lumumba sentenced to three years in jail over KSh151 million fake Tantalum scam

The court has sentenced the mastermind behind a fake tantalum minerals deal that defrauded a Chinese investor of KSh151 million.

The accused, Ulundu Patrick Lumumba, was handed a three-year prison term or given the option of paying a fine of KSh10 million after being found guilty of obtaining money by false pretences.

The judgment was delivered on Tuesday at the Milimani Law Courts, bringing to a close a case that investigators described as one of the most elaborate mineral fraud schemes in recent years.

Lumumba, who is also known by the names Gabriel Kulonda and Lumumba Patrick Byarufu, was further ordered by the court to refund the investor the entire amount lost in the scam.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the fraud involved containers that were falsely declared as carrying tantalum, a valuable mineral widely used in the production of electronic components. Instead of the precious mineral, the containers were reportedly filled with drums of sand.

The scam came to light after one of the shipments was opened overseas and found to contain sand rather than tantalum.

The discovery led investigators to examine other shipments linked to the suspect.

Further investigations at the Port of Mombasa uncovered additional containers that had also been packed with sand and accompanied by false documentation.

The DCI said the findings exposed a well-organised criminal network operating across several countries.Lumumba was arrested on April 5, 2024, by detectives from the DCI’s Operations Support Unit shortly after arriving in Nairobi from Entebbe, Uganda.

Investigators said he had attempted to enter the country using alternative identification documents and multiple aliases despite a stop order having been placed on one of his travel documents.

The DCI said the sentencing marks the end of painstaking investigations and demonstrates the agency’s commitment to fighting transnational fraud, protecting investors, and ensuring those involved in criminal schemes are held accountable.