A group of Muslims from across Kenya is speaking out after allegedly being conned by an Imam identified as Ustadh Omar Athman in a failed pilgrimage arrangement to the holy cities of Mecca and Madinah for Hajj and Umrah.

The victims, drawn from various counties, say they handed over substantial sums of money, some amounting to hundreds of thousands of shillings, believing they were securing their slots for the sacred journey.

But to their shock, the Imam allegedly went silent just days before their expected departure.

What was marketed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity turned into a nightmare for Mariam Juma, who says she received a call from the Imam promising an Umrah visa at a discounted price of Sh200,000. For her and many others, it sounded like a blessing.

“We fasted through the second week of Ramadan and entered the third without any updates,” Juma told Citizen TV.

“We kept wondering: when are we leaving? What documents do we need? Are there any vaccination requirements? But the Imam stopped picking our calls. He just disappeared.”

Juma’s case is just one among many. Another woman, Mariam Mohamed Ahmed, claims she wired Sh360,000 to the Imam.

Her friend Barke Atieno Abdalla, who introduced her to the scheme, says she transferred Sh640,000 through her daughter’s bank account, all in hopes of traveling for Umrah.

Desperate to recover her money, Juma tracked down the Imam’s sister in Malindi, where Omar is known to serve as a preacher at the Al-Ihsan Mosque.

“I went in peace and simply asked for my money back,” said Juma.

“The sister responded with a question: ‘Who told you you won’t get your money back?’ I told her I wasn't here to argue or cause trouble. I was standing in the middle of their compound, alone and unarmed. I just wanted my money.”

Juma and at least seven other individuals have since filed official complaints at the Lang’ata Police Station and received OB numbers to support their cases.

One more victim, Hussein Hassan Ali Omar from Nakuru, said he was persuaded by Omar back in 2020 to invest in Umrah travel services.

Hussein contributed Sh300,000, while a colleague added Sh200,000.

“Then I started receiving calls from others,” Hussein recounts.

“People were paying him, expecting to travel for Umrah, but the trips never happened. These were elderly women who had worked hard some selling potatoes, others sewing clothes only for him to take advantage of their faith and hope. He’s not a man of God; he’s a fraudster.”

The situation took an even more alarming turn when some of the victims noticed a fresh Umrah travel advert on the Imam’s WhatsApp status raising fears that more unsuspecting Kenyans could fall into the same trap.

At present, Omar’s phone remains switched off. His whereabouts are unknown.

Meanwhile, his alleged victims are left dealing with emotional distress, financial ruin, and deep disappointment in someone they once trusted without question.

They are now calling on authorities to move swiftly, not only to bring Omar to justice but also to ensure that they recover the money they sacrificed for a journey they may never make.