The fake President Uhuru Kenyatta who have been accused of using mobile number 0722-208842 to call the chairman of Sameer Africa Naushad Merali to release Sh10 million while mimicking President Kenyatta were on Tuesday arraigned in Court. The seven suspects, who were to be detained for 10 more days pending the investigations were however not detained.
Prosecutor Edwin Okello said it’s unfortunate the case involves the President, but whether or not he should be summoned as a witness is “neither here nor there”.
He urged the court to allow their application and detain the seven for 10 days due to the complexity of the investigations and the number of suspects involved, including some who are still at large.
He told the court that the investigations will involve going through voluminous documents including bank documents and call data records.
Magistrate Peter Ooko dismissed the prosecution application saying none of the seven work with any mobile service provider or at the bank where the said Sh10 million was deposited.
“I do not know how the suspects would interfere with the banks as the bank account stated by the prosecution is for a suspect Reuben Njuguna who is not present in court,”
The complainant, Akif Hamid Butt, the Finance Director of Sameer Africa, allegedly wired the Sh10 million via electronic money transfer from Sameer Africa Bank account to an Equity Bank account in the name of Reuben Njuguna. Njuguna has not been presented in court.
It was for those reasons that Ooko failed to find any compelling reasons to detain the seven. He immediately ordered they either be charged or discharged by close of yesterday.
This prompted the State to prepare and register a charge sheet four hours later. The seven were then presented before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi a few minutes to 5pm. But the magistrate directed they be arraigned today since it was past working hours.