A suspected online fraudster was charged with fraud after reportedly receiving Sh1.3 million from a woman while promising to supply kitchen equipment, appliances, and utensils.
Stevens Omondi is accused of collecting Sh1,385,000 from Fiona Wacuka at Italian Kitchen Limited in Westlands, Nairobi, on several occasions between June 25 and September 30 last year.
Omondi, a co-director of Italian Kitchen, is accused of colluding with others to acquire money from Wacuka while falsely claiming to be able to import a white Mia kitchen for her from Italy, knowing full well that this was also untrue.
Wacuka came across the company when searching for gifts for her mother on the internet.
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She then went to the company’s offices in Westlands where she negotiated the pricing of the aforementioned items, after which she placed an order.
The complainant was provided a bank account into which she could deposit the money while waiting for the products to arrive in two months.
She did not get the consignment as promised at the end of September, and when she contacted the company, she was told the items would be delivered in December.
In December, the delivery was again postponed to March. Again in March, she was informed that the items could not be delivered.
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When she visited the company offices, the employees turned her away prompting her to report the matter to the police.
It is then that Omondi was tracked down and arrested.
Appearing before Kibera Resident Magistrate William Tullen, Omondi pleaded not guilty to the charges. He also complained that he was the only one facing charges yet his co-conspirators were free.
He was released on a Sh1.5 million cash bond and a Sh1 million alternative cash bail.
The matter will be heard on May 19.
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