Fredrick Okello Orawo, a director at Seraph Engineering Limited, has been detained pending a court ruling on whether he will plead to charges of stealing Sh 13 million from the company.
Senior Principal Magistrate Benard Ochoi ordered that Orwaro be remanded for two days after his lawyers requested the court to defer the plea on grounds that the complainant in the matter was misusing the court process.
However, instead of being granted bail pending the said ruling, the magistrate ordered he remain in custody after the court heard that he had forged medical documents to evade court.
Orwaro told the court he has already filed a case before the commercial court over breach of contract where he is seeking the compensation.
“The complaint in the matter is state and there is no stay from the High Court stopping the accused from taking plea,” the prosecution submitted.
The court took note that Orawo had presented medical documents that tended not to be genuine upon verification by the investigative officer in order to dodge court.
It was the investigator’s submission that upon consultation with Kenyatta Hospital Administration, he was informed that there was no one by the name of doctor Georgina Marete who had allegedly treated the accused and signed his medical document.
“For that reason, the accused should take plea and the court should consider not giving bond terms upon taking the said plea.”
The court also heard that the matter has been in court since 2021 and Orwaro was yet to plead to the charges.
The director is accused that on diverse dates between 26th March and 6th April 2021, being a director of Seraph Engineering Limited and without authority of the company board of directors opened an account at Standard Chartered Bank which account was used to channel the company money instead of the known account domiciled at KCB Lavington branch, thus occasioning the loss of Sh 13,283,469.
In addition, Orwaro is charged with conspiring with another not before court to defraud Patrick Mweti John by falsely opening an account domiciled at Standard Chartered Bank pretending that it was a genuine account for Seraph Engineering ltd.
