Police in Kisumu have arrested three foreigners linked to last week’s incident where a “witch-doctor” defrauded an ex-banker Sh1 million before the officers rescued him.

Administration police officers on Sunday evening stormed the “witch-doctor”- Musa Osman alias “Ndumba wa Ndumba’s” resident in Tom Mboya Estate where they arrested the trio.

Mr Osman is still at large according to Kisumu East AP commander Karanja Muiruri.

Mr Muiruri said they arrested two Tanzanians; Issah Msurini, 41, and Mutegeki Hussein, 20, and a Ugandan national Najib Osman, 21.

PARAPHERNALIA CONFISCATED

“We have arrested the three and confiscated some paraphernalia that the conman posing as a ritualist has been using to hoodwink non-suspecting Kenyans before defrauding them,” Mr Karanja said.

Mr Msurini told Journalists that Mr Osman recruited him from Tanzania as a cook and had worked for him for close to one year.

“When he brought me to Kenya he told me he was an herbalist and I did not know his other businesses,” said Mr Msurini.

Mr Mutegeki said he is a Tanzanian national from Mwanza while Mr Osman, a senior six student hails from Katete, Uganda.

They said they came visiting a relative who introduced them to Mr Osman.

A caretaker of the residential house where Mr Osman met his “client” and lived said the “witch-doctor” rented the house at Sh35,000 a month.

“He had stayed here for a couple of months but we never knew he is not a straightforward tenant,” said the caretaker who did not wish to be named.

BURIED BOTTLE

Police officers were holed up in the compound combing the compound for paraphernalia and dug out a bottle with some liquid that had been ‘buried’ in the ground.

They confiscated the paraphernalia that was taken to Central Police Station where the three suspects are being held.

On Wednesday last Week, police launched a manhunt for Mr Osman who has been masquerading as a ritualist capable of turning people’s fortunes and recovered Sh4 million.

Acting on a tip-off, the police managed to rescue Robert Otieno from losing the colossal amount after he had already lost Sh1 million and was about to lose another Sh4 million.

Police officers stormed a dark room where the “witch-doctor” operates and recovered the money.

The suspect, who escaped the police dragnet, is said to have disappeared with the Sh1 million.

A witness, Hussein Isaac, who was in the compound at that time, said the officers came in at 3pm. There was only one client in the ritualist’s room at the time, he said.

ESCAPED

“I was awakened by commotion when police stormed the house. It was at this point that the owner of the house escaped and I was left confused,” said Mr Isaac.

The victim, Robert Otieno, had been asked by the ritualist to deliver Sh5 million in cash, which he was to give the witch-doctor at his posh house in Tom Mboya Estate.

Mr Otieno had also been instructed to come with a newly purchased refrigerator, which he had been told not to open for 36 days so he could experience a change in his troubled life.

He followed the instructions and then carried the refrigerator in the boot of his car, which was towed to the Kisumu Central Police Station.

Mr Otieno, a former banker undergoing domestic problems, had previously sold his parcel of land at Kanyakwar for Sh6 million to raise the amount demanded by the suspect, who promised to kiss his troubles goodbye.