A case has been ongoing at the Milimani Magistrate Court in Nairobi, involving a man accused of impersonating a Canadian Embassy consular officer. Brian Reeves is alleged to have received over Sh51 million from Golden Key Travel Consultant Limited by promising to process Canadian visas. The court heard that investigators traced payments totalling Sh51,244,065 to bank accounts and M-Pay channels linked to Reeves.
The payments were made by various individuals and company officials from Golden Key Travel Consultant Limited. Company director Bonventure Arandi transferred Sh1.275 million via bank and an additional Sh230,000 through M-Pay. Employee Nancy Nanjira Odungo sent Sh28.861 million, while Grace Wamboge Wamboka transferred Sh20.277 million using similar channels. A smaller transaction of Sh445,000 involving Lydia Nyangala Kea was also presented as part of the alleged payment trail.
Bank statements obtained during the investigation confirmed that the funds were received in accounts associated with Reeves, according to the investigating officer. The court was informed that the fraud came to light after detectives contacted the Canadian Embassy about 141 visa applications. The embassy confirmed on 17 April 2025 that Reeves was not a consular officer.
Further investigation revealed that six of the clients eventually obtained genuine visas and travelled to Canada. However, the embassy later identified several other documents submitted by the travel company as counterfeit. Police recovered a purported Seychelles expatriate card and an identification card from Reeves' residence, believed to have been used in the scheme.
The travel company's registration was verified through its CR12 and certificate of incorporation. The court noted that the company had previously operated under the name Galden Key Travel Consultant Limited before rebranding. Reeves' counsel challenged the admissibility of some prosecution documents, arguing that witnesses presenting them were not the original creators.
Magistrate Paul Mutai ruled that document production and admissibility are separate issues, allowing the evidence to proceed. Electronic devices seized from Reeves were subjected to cyber-forensic analysis. The prosecution indicated that the defence will cross-examine the investigating officer in upcoming hearings.
The case has raised concerns about the prevalence of visa scams and impersonation in Kenya. The court is yet to deliver a verdict in the case. Reeves is facing charges related to impersonation and fraud.
Key points
- Brian Reeves allegedly extracted over Sh51 million from Golden Key Travel Consultant Limited through a fraudulent Canadian visa scheme.
- The Canadian Embassy confirmed that Reeves was not a consular officer, leading to the discovery of the fraud.
- The court allowed evidence to proceed, despite challenges from Reeves' counsel regarding document admissibility.
