Many businesses and established companies in Kenya have recorded a massive growth over the years. Countless businesses and companies have grown as a result of significant boost from foreign investors who explored opportunities and decided to establish business away from their countries and at the same time create employment to the staggering population of job seekers in the Kenya.

According to the 10-year World Bank survey report, Kenya has to create 900,000 jobs annually between 2019 to 2025 to absorb the high number of youths joining the job market. According to the Kenya Economic Survey 2019 report, unemployment rate stood at 9.3 per cent in 2018.

Series of tours to foreign developed countries to sell Kenya as an investment destination by president Uhuru Kenyatta and former president Mwai Kibaki has bore fruits as investors have settled for Kenya to invest.

However, if complains from some of the foreign investors who have come out publicly about being harassed is anything to go by, then this could continue to cause more job losses to the already employed Kenyans in different regions.

The investors interviewed by Prime Africa Channel lamented on how both local and foreign businessmen who work in cohort with allegedly corruptible individuals in the government have frustrated them to an extent of counting losses amounting to billions of Kenya shillings.

Mark Lloyd Stephenson, an Australian citizen began investing in Kenya in 2010 where he brought along two more potential investors namely Mr. Stephen Piano and Ellie Barikhan who were both interested in Kenyan mineral resources. Mark is currently the CEO of Universal Resources International Limited amongst other four companies operating in the country .

It all began well until January 2011, when Mark was shocked to find that the money he had invested in had been stolen and syphoned through KCB bank to Uganda by his then business associate Michael lynch and Musa Adams who happen to be directors of the Company .

“Lynch managed to do all these frauds since he was one of the signatories of the company. He wanted to keep all the investors’ money to himself. He also managed to borrow US$100,000 , money which was deposited to his company bank account ( Stemrich Mining Limited ) using my name and a matter of fact he framed me , using an international alert order which they gained from the office of the then DCI Director’s PA , a month later I was stopped from travelling back home then charged and put on trial for six years ,” said Mark.

Due to this illegal actions and other fraud the board remove him and his accomplish (Co – conspirators ) from being directors and shareholders of Universal Resource International Limited (Kenya) . Refer to High court JR.116

On confrontation over the missing funds by Mark Stephenson , Michael lynch made numerous threats .

“ You don’t know who you are dealing with , I will reach right into the president’s office . If you don’t back off you will find yourself dead .” Mark Stephenson recalls, Michael lynch’s threat clearly .

Mark brought on board a new investor Ellie Barikhan who wanted to invest in mining in Kenya but didn’t want to be involved in Universal Resource International company due to the mismanagement of funds by Michael Lynch . A new company by the name infinity Minerals Limited was incorporated

He said they required immediate funds to set up a company and to acquire prospecting licenses.
Barikhan investment funds were delayed so he inquired with Nathan Lusby whether he knew to source funds on short term loan . Lusby introduced Susan Harris and Charlotte Bilstedfelt as they were interested in investing.

According to the documents that we acquired, an intent for funds by infinity was drawn on 26th November 2010, although the agreement was never implemented.
Based on the statement of Susan Harris at the DCI headquarters at 6:30 PM on 3rd March 2011 , Michael Lynch and Susan Harris met at the office of the then DCI Director’s personal assistant named Mr Bruno Shioso who currently (2021) holds the position of spokesman at the national police service .

“ On 3rd March 2011 , I received a telephone call from Michael Lynch who was a shareholder in a company called universal Resource international , informing me that Mark and Stephen were planning to leave the country . Based on the information we reported the matter to CID headquarters and subsequently Mark and Steve were arrested at the airport . “ Susan Harris states

On that meeting an apprehension alert Ref. No. CID/IV/ECCU/SEC/4/4//1/VOL.XII/70 was given out the very same evening without any investigation over a foreigner .

With the copy of apprehension alert Michael lynch orchestrated illegal investigation by setting up an investigation taskforce under company Anti – Corruption Investigation Limited , a company formed by his close associate by the name Martin Adungosi (A Ugandan National ).

Prime Africa established that Anti – Corruption Investigation Limited was allowed to be registered by the Kenya Registrar of companies in 2010 with no shares capital issued .

The company managed to manipulate their way into the Kenyan registrar of companies (the custodian of company files) system emulating Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission with an intention of accessing and change company records with a motive of removing Mark Stephenson as a director and shareholder of Universal Resource International .

On April 2011 Mark Stephenson and his business mate Stephen Piano were stopped by the immigration officers at JKIA while on their way home to Australia for Easter brake where handed over to officers from the DCIO headquarters citing Ref. No. CID/IV/ECCU/SEC/4/4//1/VOL.XII/70

At the airport Mark called his wife to inform her that he has been arrested at the airport and that he might miss his wife. On that note , Mark’s wife contacted the Australian Counsel to inquire about the safety of her husband. Upon the inquiry , the Australian counsel was informed the Kenyan immigration offices that the two were safe and that were on the flight back to Australia and that she should meet them at the airport in Australia .

This loan deal got Mark and Paino into trouble as they prepared to fly out of the country to go to Australia, on April 2011.

“We were stopped by immigration officers at the JKIA , they looked at our passports and found out that we had valid work permit and then directed us to their offices in the airport . We asked them why were they holding us and they refused to give us reasons as per why they were holding us … After missing my flight I decide to call my wife to inform her that I was still in Kenya and detained . She then ask ; “How are you calling me , I was told that you were on the flight back home ? the Australian Consul had told me that they have been informed by the Kenyan immigration that you had boarded the flight and to meet you at the airport as we agreed “ , Mark Painfully Recalled

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