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Sh400m fraud case against businessman pushed to February next year

Businessman Koome is accused of defrauding Muhinyuza of Sh400 million

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by Bosco Marita

News13 December 2023 - 13:24
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In Summary


  • Lawyer Dastan Omari representing the complainant in the case informed the court he and the prosecution were ready to proceed with the hearing.
  • He told the court that lawyer Ombeta was unwell prompting the magistrate to adjourn the case until February 9, 2024.
Kirimi Koome at Milimani Law Courts before magistrate Esther Kimilu on October 12, 2023./DOUGLAS OKIDDY

The hearing case in which a Kenyan businessman is charged with defrauding Rwandese investor Desire Muhinyuza of Sh400 million is to proceed on February 9, 2024.

The matter was scheduled for hearing on Wednesday before Milimani senior resident magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi but it could not proceed since the defence lawyer Cliff Ombeta who is representing accused person Kirimi Koome was unwell.

However, Lawyer Dastan Omari representing the complainant in the case informed the court he and the prosecution were ready to proceed with the hearing.

He told the court that lawyer Ombeta was unwell prompting the magistrate to adjourn the case until February 9, 2024.

Earlier the prosecution had told the court that the documentary evidence being relied on in the matter is weighty and they foresee the complainant and other witnesses taking more than a day to testify in the case.

An Estonian millionaire and a Dutch investor are among seven witnesses the State has lined up to testify in the case. 

In the case, businessman Koome is accused of defrauding Muhinyuza of Sh400 million that was wired to the accounts of StayOnline.

Koome was charged with conspiracy to defraud StayOnline Limited of $2,619,583.27 (approximately Sh400 million) being funds that belong to merchants by falsely representing himself as the owner of the cash.

He is also charged with theft of Sh14.9 million from the firm, cash that had been entrusted to him to make payment for the provision of taxes.  

Koome has since denied the charges and is out on a Sh500,000 bail.

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