Flamboyant Nairobi based businessman Kirimi Koome was yesterday charged with conspiracy to defraud a Rwandeese national Sh361 million.
Koome took plea to the alleged multimillion fraud charges while appearing before Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina.
However, he denied the charges.
According to the charge sheet, in what was painted as a meticulously executed criminal plot, Koome allegedly defrauded Desire Muhinyuza, the beneficial owner of Stay Online Limited USD 2,619,583.27 (Sh361million) being merchants’ funds by falsely representing himself as the owner of the said funds.
Koome allegedly committed the offence on diverse dates between July 10, 2023 and October 4,2023 in Nairobi within Nairobi county, jointly with others not before court.
He is also charged with stealing another Sh15million (USD 100,000) property of Stay Online Limited which had been entrusted to him to make payment of provision of taxes for the said company.
He faced a third count of making a false entry in a document for payment of USD 100,000 to his USD account No. 1040184365654 domiciled at Equity Bank and giving false information to the police.
The prosecution did not oppose his release on bail.
The complainant through lawyer Danstan Omari, however, asked the court to issue a stringent bail term by considering the effect of other countries trying to invest in the country.
“It’s our prayer that when imposing the bond terms consider the image of the bank ….the merchants whose money was being swindled…and the source of that money…Consider the effect it will have on the international investors.” Lawyer Omari told the court.
Magistrate Onyina released him on cash bail of sh500,000 and two sureties of similar amount.
