Court detains woman accused of Sh445,000 fraud

Police in Eldoret are holding a woman said to have defrauded a resident Sh445,000 with a promise to secure his son a job at the Uasin Gishu County.

Rose Chepkwony, who denied obtaining money by false pretense before Principal Magistrate Mogire Onkoba, will remain under police custody for five days, as police investigate the matter.

According to the charge sheet, Chepkwony defrauded her client between September 19, 2017 and January 12, 2018 by pretending she worked for the Uasin Gishu County Government and would secure employment for the complainant’s son. The affidavit presented in court by investigating officer John Okach stated that the money was sent to the accused through mobile money transfer and cash.

Mr Okach requested to have the accused under police custody, arguing that she was a flight risk, as she disappeared after her alleged conning until her recent arrest.

Other suspects

He told the court that other suspects in the offence were still at large, and that releasing the accused person would interfere with their arrest.

Chepkwony’s lawyer John Nyandoro had requested the court to consider granting his client favourable bond terms while promising that she could not abscond court sessions or interfere with investigations. “My client has a permanent home in Eldoret and therefore the issue of flight risk does not arise,” said Nyandoro.

Nyandoro claimed the accused even had an ongoing criminal case in the court, in which she was out on bond and had been attending court sessions whenever required.

The magistrate however directed that the case be mentioned on February 14 for more directions.