A Nairobi Anti-corruption court will on Friday rule whether it will allow the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to detain a former MCA and his two accomplices accused of impersonating it’s investigators and extorting money from members of the public pending investigations.
The former MCA James Mbuvi Wangunze Kula, Mike Muthami Kasingi, and Raphael Muthoka Kithembe were arrested on March 11 at Three Hut Bar in Komarok, Nairobi County.
They were apprehended following multiple complaints filed with the EACC.
Forensic investigator John Nyagara moved to court seeking to detain the trio for 14 days at Kilimani Police Station to allow investigators to complete investigations.
The suspects were allegedly found in possession of multiple mobile phones and SIM cards believed to have been used in a scheme to blackmail, extort, and defraud members of the public.
Nyagara says he is yet to extract relevant information and evidence from the seized phones and SIM cards.
He further wants the suspects be compelled to provide access credentials to the seized mobile phones.
“Preliminary investigations by the Commission reveal that the respondents are serial fraudsters seeking for benefit from members of the public on the guise of being employees of EACC as well as other institutions,” read court documents.
Nyagara says impersonation of anti-corruption officers is a serious offense under Section 34 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003.
EACC alleges that the former MCA and Kasingi had previously been charged and convicted on a matter of similar nature.
Additionally Kaingi was also charged with offences of impersonation in anti corruption court.
The commission is apprehensive that the trio will go into hiding, influence witnesses and also tamper with evidence if released.
“The respondents are a flight risk going by the fact that he was very evasive on the days leading to his arrest,” read court documents.
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