A Kenyan businessman was Tuesday charged with plans to steal Sh400 million from a Rwandan.
What started as a plan to expand a Rwandan based financial tech firm in Kenya ended up with one of the directors being charged with conspiring to defraud the company Sh400 million.
Kirimi Koome appeared in court after he was arrested at an Airbnb in Westlands on October 11.
Desire Muhinyuza had accused Kenyan businessman Kirimi Koome of planning to steal the money from him.
He was charged with conspiring to defraud Muhinyuza, USD 2,619,583.27, being merchants funds by falsely representing himself as the owner of the said funds.
A Magistrates Court in Milimani had issued a warrant of arrest on Koome after he became elusive.
The warrant was based on an application by lawyer Danstan Omari and state prosecutor James Gachoka.
The duo argued that the interests of investors needed to be safeguarded.
Omari represents the complainant, one Desire Muhinyuza who is the CEO and Co founder of stay online limited Rwanda.
The said offence is said to have been committed on diverse dates between 10th July and 4th October 2023 in Nairobi within Nairobi County, jointly with others not before court and with intent to defraud.
Koome further faced a charge with Stealing USD 100,000 (Sh14,945,000) property of Stay Online Limited.
The money had allegedly been entrusted to him to make payment of provision of taxes for the said company.
In addition, he is facing charges of making a false entry in a document for payment of USD 100,000 to his USD Account domiciled at Equity and giving false information to the police.
He is also accused of giving false information to police.
“On the 10th day of August, 2023 at Kilimani Police Station, in Nairobi within Nairobi County, informed No. 100793 PC. Esther Theuri a person employed in the Public Service as a Police Officer that someone by the name of Ambrose Wamans Obara had forged some documents and your signature to obtain a non estimated amount of money from your account held at United Bank of
Africa, information you knew to be false,” said the charge sheet.
Koome denied all charges before Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina.
Prior to him being arraigned, the police had made a separate application seeking to freeze the withdrawal and payments from accounts in the name of the financial tech firm based at United Bank of Africa.
The prosecution in making that application were apprehensive that the said Koome and his conspirators may fraudulently interfere with the said funds which was granted.
Koome who managed to secure his release on bail terms of Sh500,000 will be back in court on October 23 for the mention of the case.
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