London: Ketan Somaia, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) entrepreneur being investigated by the Hertfordshire Police in London for defrauding a German-based businessman of 2.2 million Pounds, has been arrested in Kenya as he was trying to board a British Airways flight to London, a media report said on August 31.

Somaia, a former sponsor of the Miss World competition through his Dolphin hotels, banking and motor trading group, now faces two separate trials in Nairobi, 'The Sunday Mail' stated.

His surprise arrest followed a request for his extradition from Tanzania where he had been accused of defrauding a businessman of 150,000 Pounds. Tanzania had just closed the local Delphis Bank. Instead of being extradited, Somaia was charged with stealing almost 1 million Pounds from the National Bank of Kenya in a deal to import London taxis.

Then, in June, Somaia was charged with defrauding a German-based businessman of 2.2 million Pounds. He is on bail.

Somaia, who denies all the charges, has been banned from leaving Kenya by a commission investigating a 150 million Pounds banking and political corruption scandal involving credits for fictitious gold and diamond exports, the report said.

Besides Tanzania, authorities in Uganda and Mauritius have also either made extradition requests for Somaia or started investigations, the report said.

A spokesman of the Hertfordshire Fraud Squad said on August 31 it began an investigation last year after it was claimed 42-year-old Somaia failed to return an investment of 500,000 Pounds in Delphis Bank of Mauritius, which he formally headed.

PTI