After being regarded as one of the biggest ticketing scams ever witnessed in the history of Kenya, the perpetrators of this major scam looked destined for longer days behind bars.
After being denied bond last week, the three Chinese officials implicated in the SGR ticketing scam will finally get to spend the night at home after being granted bond by a Mombasa Court today.
Mombasa Chief Magistrate Julius Nang’ea on Monday released Li Gen, Li Xiaowu and Sun Xin each on a Sh500,000 bond each with a Kenyan surety.
The magistrate directed the accused to deposit their passports in court and warned them against interfering with investigations.
“The accused are warned that any attempts to interfere will lead to cancellation of the bond terms,” said Mr Nang’ea.
Their release follows an application they made seeking to have the orders issued on Friday denying them bond reviewed.
While releasing them on bond, the magistrate said the prosecution’s contention was that they were a flight risk but noted that their employer has demonstrated that if released on bond, they will stay within the jurisdiction of the court.
The DCI is looking into reports of manipulation in ticketing, that is said to be part of a multi-million-shilling ticketing fraud, in the case over which four Kenyans were also arrested. The Kenyans are also employees of the CRBC.
Li Gen, Li Xiaowu and Sun Xin are charged with jointly offering a Sh500,000 bribe to an inspector for favour in an investigation on claims of fraud at the standard gauge railway terminus in Miritini.
In a statement to newsrooms Last week Monday, the embassy said it hopes Kenyan authorities protect the legal rights and interests of the employees of the China Roads and Bridges Corporation.
According to the charge sheets, the three offered the money to inspector Andrew Warui and his team.
The accused faced two other counts of offering a Sh200,000 bribe.
“It is our hope that the truth will be found out as soon as possible through objective and fair investigations,” the embassy said.
“The embassy has urged the Africa Star Railway Operation Company to actively cooperate with Kenyan authorities in investigating [the matter]. The company has also been required to take effective measures to enhance its management and ensure operation in conformance with laws and regulations,” the statement said.
“As always, the embassy will render full support to the SGR operation team to provide high standard services.”
Multiple sources have confirmed that the ticketing scam that involved manipulating the complex booking system operated by CRBC staff to split the ticket revenues between the Chinese railway operator and the cartel of insiders had been going on for a long time.
Do you think that investigative agencies will get to the bottom of the ticketing scam?