A Tanzania national charged with attempted fraud of over Sh 5 million from the Kenya Bureau of Standards National Social Security Funds money has been released on a cash bail of Sh 500,000 with one Kenyan contact person.
Alternatively, the accused person John William Mangesho can deposit a bond of Sh 1 million with one surety of a similar amount to secure his release pending the hearing and determination of the case.
Mangesho who is allegedly married to June Munala, a woman working with the United Nations is charged with attempted fraud by unlawfully accessing the official email accounts of Kenya Bureau of Standards and NSSF and attempting to divert payments of Sh 5,490,041.40 that were due for the Kenya Bureau of Standards from the said NSSF to Kenya Commercial Bank, Kipande house Branch account number 1240193467.
The accused is alleged to have committed the offence on diverse dates between 27th April and 13th May 2020 at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya jointly with others not before court, by use of electronic means.
The prosecution had objected his release on bail on grounds that no proof of nationality had been availed therefore making him a flight risk.
The court further had that the accused has no family ties in kena as alleged since the woman he had alleged to be married to had not been identified.
The state further argues that Mangesho had not availed any documents yo show the businesses he alleges to running in Kenya.
Mangesho’s lawyer objected the application saying that his client is married to Munala, senior protection officer, UN in Switzerland but currently in Nairobi.
The lawyer added that the wife resides with the accused in Karen, Nairobi the premises from which the accused was arrested whose title deed is in the names of both parties proving he has strong family ties.
The court further heard that accused who has been in custody for two days operates logistics Company based in Nairobi adding that he does not own an account at KCB.
The lawyer said that all the documents would have been availed if asked for.
While delivering the ruling on bail, Senior Resident Magistrate Sinkyian Tobiko said the reasons tabled by prosecution are not sufficient grounds to warrant denial of bail.
The magistrate noted the said documents had not been asked for and said that information would have been availed had it been requested during investigations.
She went ahead to set the above bail terms for the accused person and allowed him to access his phone which is in the custody of the police in torder to transfer money from his m-pesa account. The police are also to ensure that no data is lost during the process.
The case will be mentioned on 22nd July.
