A Nairobi court on Wednesday released the seven suspects accused of conning Sameer Africa Chairman Nashud Merali Ksh.10 million while posing as President Uhuru Kenyatta on a Ksh.100,000 cash bail each.
The seven, who pleaded not guilty, have a case to answer.
In his ruling, Magistrate Francis Andayi indicated that if found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, the suspects could face up to 3 years in prison.
The judge however declined to allow police detain them for 30 days but ordered they report at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) every Friday for three weeks since the investigations are still ongoing.
As per the charge sheet brought to court on Tuesday, the prosecution had only pressed one charge — conspiracy to defraud — against the accused.
The charge sheet read that “on January 24 and February 1, 2019 at Prime Bank in Riverside Drive, Nairobi County, the accused jointly conspired with others not before court with intent to defraud, obtained Ksh.10 million from Akif Hamid Butt by falsely pretending that they were in a position to sell to Sameer Africa a piece of land situated in Milimani Area, Nairobi.”
The seven; Joseph Waswa, Duncan Muchai, Isaac Wajekeche, William Simiyu, David Luganya, Gilbert Kirunja and Anthony Wafula were arrested last Friday and Saturday in a sting operation by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
During the operation, police recovered from the suspects four vehicles including a Toyota Land Cruiser V8, Toyota Mark X , Toyota Axio and Toyota Crown.