A group of Kenyan Muslims are demanding justice after allegedly falling victim to a scam involving a trusted religious leader who vanished with their money, leaving them unable to make the pilgrimage to Mecca for Hajj and Umrah.
The man at the center of the controversy is Imam Ustadh Omar Athman, who is accused of defrauding multiple individuals from different parts of the country under the pretense of facilitating travel and visa arrangements for the sacred journeys.
According to several victims, the imam offered them Umrah visas at a discounted rate of Ksh200,000—an enticing deal many saw as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
After collecting the payments, Omar allegedly disappeared just days before the group was scheduled to depart. His phone has since been switched off, and attempts to locate him have been unsuccessful.
Many of the victims say they are grappling not just with financial loss, but with betrayal from a man they viewed as a spiritual authority. “He was supposed to be above reproach. Instead, he took advantage of our faith,” another victim lamented.
The group is now calling on law enforcement agencies and Islamic leadership bodies to take swift action to investigate the incident and recover their funds.
At the time of publishing, Imam Omar Athman had not responded to the allegations, and authorities have yet to issue a formal statement on the matter.
