Esipisu impersonator detained

A court has allowed police to hold a man accused of impersonating former State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu to extort money from heads of parastatals.

Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot allowed detectives more time to investigate Kepha Nyakundi before he answers to extortion and impersonation charges tomorrow.

Mr Nyakundi is accused of extorting money from the heads of Konza Authority, National Irrigation Board and Retirement Benefits Authority among others, while pretending to be Mr Esipisu.

Former State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu addressing the media in a past event. [Photo: Courtesy]

President Uhuru Kenyatta's former spokesman only learned of the matter when some parastatal heads called him to say they had received calls from a man purporting to be him.

Esipisu immediately reported the matter at Kilimani Police Station.

The police traced Nyakundi using his mobile phone as one of the numbers he used to call the one parastatal boss was registered in his name.

He was arrested on Tuesday last week and found with several SIM cards. Nyakundi is said to have told the police he needed the money for some projects.