Three South Korean investors are counting losses after gold worth Sh6 million mysteriously disappeared while under the protection of police officers in Machakos County.
According to a police report filed at Mlolongo Police Station (OB NO: 75/9/5/2025), the incident dates back to March 2025 when the investors, who were in Kenya for a real estate project in Sabaki, approached a senior police officer in charge of a secure installation along Mombasa Road in Athi River. The trio sought assistance in safeguarding the gold, citing its high value and security concerns. The officers agreed to help and stored the precious metal in an armoury steel box, allegedly managed by an inspector within the facility.
The South Koreans were reportedly involved in the installation of solar panels for water pumping in the area as part of their development initiative. Their partnership with local stakeholders had gained positive traction until the mysterious disappearance of their gold turned the spotlight onto their visit.
The matter took a dramatic turn around the April Easter holidays when the officer who initially received the gold requested a routine check for confirmation. Upon opening the steel box, however, they reportedly discovered that the contents were no longer the original gold bars, but a metal that merely resembled gold.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives from Mlolongo station were immediately called in. They visited the scene and commenced investigations, but no recovery has been made so far.
When contacted, the senior police officer involved confirmed that the gold had indeed been kept at the request of the investors. “Yes, it’s true. We kept the gold at the foreign investors’ request. I have reported the matter to Mlolongo police station and the DCI have launched investigations,” he said.
The incident has sparked concerns over the integrity of police officers entrusted with safeguarding valuables and could strain diplomatic relations as pressure mounts for answers.
Investigations are ongoing as authorities seek to unravel how such a high-value asset vanished under tight security.
