Shop attendant charged with Sh9m fraud

A Nairobi shop employee has been charged for fraudulently obtaining Sh9 million from an investor pretending that he could offer him a partnership in his place of work.

The suspect, George Odhiambo, was arraigned at a Milimani court and charged with fraudulently receiving money with the pretext that he would use the money in running and operating a joint venture business, a fact he knew to be false.

Odhiambo was charged before Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi where he denied that on diverse dates between January 10, 2020, and July 08, 2021, within Nairobi county he, jointly with others not before the court, conspired to defraud Flemister Leilan the sum of Sh9, 091, 693.45.

The second count stated that on the same dates as stated alongside other people not before the court, he received that amount by falsely pretending that he was using the money in running and operating a joint venture business a fact he knew to be false.

He denied the charges and pleaded, `Your honour, I am just an employee in the shop where my brother co-owns the shop with the complainant. In this case, my brother was arrested and charged over the offence and granted a bond of Sh3 million with an alternative cash bail of Sh1 million,” said Odhiambo.

Odhiambo told the magistrate that he was arrested on Tuesday when he was summoned at the Capital Hill police station to record the statement over the matter and asked the court to grant him lenient bail terms of Sh50,000 as he was just an employee in the shop.

He was released on a bond of Sh3 million or alternatively pay a cash bail of Sh1 million. The case will be mentioned on October 27.

In the same court a man who was arrested in Burnt forest for allegedly impersonating as a national assembly employee was charged.

Walter Kipngetich Masai, 44, was charged that on September 21, at an unknown location within the country, with intent to defraud, falsely presented himself to be Geoffrey Korir an employee of the Parliament of Kenya, a fact he knew to be untrue.

He was released on a bond of Sh100 000 or pay a cash bail of Sh50 000. The case will be mentioned on November 3.