• Home

Sorcerer’s trick is nothing but a con

Mohammed Kinte, 29, used chemicals to convince a gullible victim he could turn one bank note into two.

Khalid Hussein gave Kinte $20,000 hoping to turn it into $40,000. But all he was left with was an empty bag after Kinte ran off with the money.

Dubai Court heard that Kinte conducted an experiment in front of Hussein by asking him to hand over a $100 note. Kinte spread a white powder on the note and then washed it in water. He then handed Hussein two $100 notes, claiming the chemical had somehow 'cloned' them. Hussein agreed bring Kinte $20,000. When he did, Kinte put the banknotes in a bag and then covered them with the white powder. The bag was sealed after which Kinte injected it with a second chemical substance. Kinte told Hussein to keep the bag with him without opening it, but Hussein, at last suspecting he was the victim of a con, opened the bag and found his money gone.

After going to the police, Hussein convinced the conman he wanted more money multiplied. When Kinte turned up to repeat the con, he was grabbed by police along with another accomplice, Frank Keren Echuinkubo, aged 27.

Kinte was sentenced to a year in jail, followed by deportation back to his native Mali. Echuinkubo was acquitted of fraud, but convicted overstaying his visa and breaching residency laws. He was ordered him to remain in jail for two months to be followed by deportation. Police say they are still hunting for other suspects thought to be connected to the con.

• UAE