Police have filed an application seeking to detain four men accused of failing to pay for cooking oil worth Sh 33 million.
PC Sammy Shamala of DCI Parklands asked Principal Magistrate Esther Kimilu to allow custodial orders against Seth Onyango Orinda, Leon Otieno Odongo, Richard Maina Mwaniki and Gibson Kabue Wanduru for 15 more days to allow investigators to complete investigations.
Shamala told the court that the respondents were arrested on 23rd December 2022 for the offence of obtaining goods by false pretences.
The court heard that the four have been posing as Development Aid Africa, a non-governmental organisation that deals with the supply of foodstuffs to arid areas in Kenya and other areas.
According to his affidavit, Shamala states the four are alleged to have obtained 4500 jerrycans of 20 litres of Salit cooking oil worth Sh 24,750,000 from Hussein Adow Mohamed by pretending they were in a position to pay for the said goods.
The suspects are also alleged to have obtained another 1520 jerrycans of the said oil worth Sh 8,360,000 from Rajula Adimo trading as Obsidian Eagle Investment and failed to pay as agreed.
“The respondents have equally obtained goods from other citizens who have reported at DCI Headquarters whereas others are yet to report as they are not aware they have been defrauded through such means,” PC Shamala said.
The suspects are alleged to have committed the offence between 1st June and 23rd December 2022 within Parklands area, Nairobi.
Kenya Drapers Limited
The respondents informed the police that they rented a store from Kenya Drapers Limited but failed to provide any lease agreement.
The officer told the court that Kenya Drapers Limited are yet to be identified since the BRS Department had closed its operations since they were relocating from Sheria House to Upper hill chambers.
Shamala added that the four are at flight risk due to the gravity of the charges against them.
“Upon releasing the suspects, they may interfere with the bank accounts in which the money was deposited, being proceeds of crime,” he added.
According to Shamala, the four have been hiding since the matter was reported at DCI Headquarters.
He added that two of the suspects have also refused to record their statements and give identification documents.
