When Jesus Pierrot, a diplomat and businessman from the Central African Republic, boarded a flight to Nairobi in mid-January this year, he was filled with hope and anticipation.

He was not just visiting Kenya, he was on a mission, he recounted on yesterday.

Representing both his country and business interests in China and Central Africa, Pierrot had come in pursuit of gold, a venture that would ultimately become a harrowing ordeal, costing him over Sh95 million.