Controversial politician cum businessman Zaheer Meriani Jhanda has distanced opposition leader Raila Odinga's name in the controversial Sh400 fake gold scam.
The names of Raila, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Interior Cabined Secretary Fred Matiang'i were brought into the matter through a leaked audio phone call, purportedly between Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula and the buyer, a representative of the Dubai Royal family.
But speaking on Saturday, Zaheer who says that he was not aware if the gold in question was fake, adding that his job was only consultancy, said that he has not involved any politician in his deal.
He added that he has never told either Raila or Matiangi of his same.
However, he claimed that a group of Rift Valley politicians have been trying to push him into implicating Raila and Matiangi into the saga.
He said that the group of unnamed four MPs approached him during a political rally in Western Kenya a week ago and attempted to implore him to drag Raila's name into the mess so that they can appear correct.
He also doubted the protest letter allegedly written to the interior ministry by the Dubai rulers, terming it questionable.
“Why is the letter addressed to the CS bearing a yahoo email address. It would be natural for the ruler, if he had a complain to channel it through diplomatic channels or call his counterpart directly,” he told the Standard.
Zaheer said that the gold in question was being sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a deal that would see him pocket Sh30 billion as payment for his consultancy services.
So far, 15 other suspects, among them flamboyant businessman Jared Otieno are in police custody over the same.