Former sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was Friday charged in court over claims of extortion racket targeting Kakamega Governor Fernandez Barasa.
He and another serial fraud suspect Lendrix Waswa alias SSP Kiprop appeared before a Kibera court on April 19 and denied charges of conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 317 of the Penal Code.
They denied the charges and were released on Sh500,000 cash bail.
The charge sheet read that “on the 18″ day of March 2024 while at unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, jointly with others not before court conspired with intent to defraud by falsely accusing Fernandes Barasa of kidnapping Rashid Mohammed Echesa and demanded from the said Fernandes the sum of Ksh. 250,000,000/= in order to drop the false accusations.”
Echesa is said to have staged the abduction at Windsor Hotel in Nairobi.
Barasa is among those listed as witnesses in the case.
Echesa was arrested last month in the probe but said he had fallen ill and was admitted in hospital. He later rushed to court and obtained an order to stop police from arresting or detaining him.
His lawyers Danstan Omari and Cliff Ombeta later withdrew from the case in a dramatic development.
This came a week after a man police said was Echesa’s handler was March 20 charged in a Kibera Court for extorting over Sh240 million from Barasa.
William Simiyu Matere alias Elijah appeared before Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Ann Mwangi where he was charged with two counts of demanding property with menace and conspiracy to commit a felony.
According to the prosecution, it is alleged that on diverse dates between December, 2023 and 18th day of March, 2024 at unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, jointly with others not before court, with menaces demanded a total sum of Sh240 million from Fernandez Odinga Barasa.
The other count states that on the same date he jointly with others not before court conspired together to commit a felony namely demanding property with menaces and extorted from Barasa over Sh240 million.
He denied the charges and was freed on a bond of Sh2 million with a surety of the same amount.
The prosecution intends to call four witnesses.
The matter was mentioned on 27 March for pre trial but did not proceed.
The drama broke with videos emerging online showing Echesa in handcuffs and in a thicket with ropes around his hands and legs.
Police say this was all stage managed.
President William Ruto appointed former Echesa to be the Chairperson of the Kenya Water Towers Agency Board.
According to a gazette notice dated May 19, 2023, Echesa will serve for a period of three (3) years, with effect from May 19, 2023.
Echesa was appointed as Cabinet Minister in retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term as Head of State until March 1, 2019, when he was fired in a Cabinet reshuffle.
His removal as Cabinet Secretary came under a wave of corruption allegations that had dogged the Sports docket.
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