A Nairobi court has charged a man accused of fraudulently obtaining white maize and cooking oil worth more than Sh291 million after allegedly posing as a representative of a humanitarian organisation.
Kelvin Koech Kemboi appeared before Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo, where he denied charges of obtaining goods by false pretences and conspiracy to commit a felony.
According to the charge sheet, Kemboi is accused of obtaining 2,300 bags of 90-kilogram white maize and 8,500 twenty-litre jericans of Pika cooking oil, all valued at Sh 291,160,000, from Frontline Tarkipa Media Limited.
The prosecution alleges that between August 7, 2023 and November 28, 2023, at MOL Logistics in Embakasi, Nairobi, Kemboi, jointly with others who have not been charged, falsely represented himself as the Director of Development Aid Africa, claiming the organisation would pay for the goods.
The prosecution contends that the representation was false and was made with the intention of defrauding the company.
Kemboi is also accused of conspiring with others not before the court to obtain the same consignment of maize and cooking oil from the company during the same period.
The prosecution, supported by counsel for the complainant, urged the court to impose stringent bond terms, arguing that Kemboi is facing another case involving similar allegations before a different court.
The complainant further claimed that losses linked to Kemboi and his alleged accomplices exceed Sh500 million, saying the financial impact has severely affected both his business operations and his family.
Magistrate Onsarigo deferred the bond and bail ruling, saying he needed time to review the files relating to the other pending case before determining the appropriate terms.
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