A Milimani Magistrate’s Court has heard that Brian Reeves presented himself as a consular working at the Canadian Embassy before receiving Ksh.51,244,065 from a travel company in connection with visa processing.
An investigating officer told the court that the amount initially reported in the case was Ksh.89,185,000 but was revised after investigators excluded cash transactions they said could not be proved.
Company Paid for Canadian Visa Processing
The complainant was identified as Golden Key Travel Consultant Limited, a company whose registration was confirmed by investigators through a CR12 and certificate of incorporation.
The court heard that the company had previously operated as Galden Key Travel Consultant Limited before changing its name to Golden Key Travel Consultant Limited.
According to the investigating officer, Reeves introduced himself to the company’s representatives as a Canadian Embassy consular.
The company, which handled travel arrangements including services involving Canada, allegedly agreed to work with him to facilitate visa applications for clients travelling to the country.
Investigators said the company supplied receipts, acknowledgement forms, visa appointment and biometric application documents and authorization letters allegedly connected to the arrangement.
The court also heard that investigators found a fake Seychelles expertriate card and Identification Card at his residence during his arrest which they believe he used to further dupe the victims.
Ksh.51.2M Traced to Reeves
The court heard that the money was transferred through banks and M-Pesa by the company’s owner and employees acting on its behalf.
Company director Bonventure Arandi sent Ksh.1,275,000 through a bank transfer and another Ksh.230,000 through M-Pesa.
Nancy Nanjira Odungo transferred a total of Ksh.28,861,650 through bank and M-Pesa transactions.
Another employee, Grace Wamboge Wamboka, transferred Ksh.20,277,000 through similar channels.
The investigating officer also told the court about a Ksh. 445,000 transaction involving Lydia Nyangala Kea.
He said bank statements obtained during the investigation confirmed that the money was received in accounts associated with Reeves.
Embassy Disputed His Claimed Position
The investigating officer said detectives contacted the Canadian Embassy through a letter dated January 29, 2025, seeking information concerning 141 clients whose visa applications had allegedly been submitted.
The embassy did not provide investigators with details of the applicants but, according to the officer, confirmed in a response dated April 17, 2025, that Reeves was not a consular working at the embassy.
The court also heard that six clients had successfully obtained visas and travelled to Canada, which the prosecution said contributed to the company’s confidence in the arrangement.
However, investigators said several other visas supplied to the company were later identified as fake by the embassy.
Defence Challenges Documents
During the proceedings, Reeves’ lawyer objected to the production of several documents, arguing that some had been presented by witnesses who were not their makers and therefore could not authenticate them.
Magistrate Paul Mutai ruled that production of a document and its eventual admissibility were separate issues, allowing the prosecution to proceed while leaving questions concerning admissibility to be addressed later.
The investigating officer said Reeves was arrested after investigators confirmed the transactions and that electronic devices recovered from him were subjected to cyber examination.
The prosecution’s case is continuing, with the defence expected to cross-examine the investigating officer.
