A Kenyan businessman Koome Kirimi has suffered another blow in attemp to have his accounts unfrozen by the court.
When the matter appeared before a Milimani Law Courts Magistrate Bernard Ochoi for a ruling,he said that the DCI through the prosecution had provided sufficient grounds to warrant freezing and investigation of Koome’s Bank accounts
Koome, the accused, was a director of Stay Online Limited and he faces criminal charges of conspiring with others yet to be arrested to defraud the Desire Muhiyunza a Rwandan based businessman USD 2,619,583.27 (approximately Sh 391million).
Koome’s accounts believed to be containing the Ksh 391 million and domiciled at Equity Bank Limited in Meru were frozen on September 18, 2023.
“An order is hereby issued freezing two account numbers both domiciled at Equity Bank Limited, Meru Branch in the name of Kirimi Koome so as to forbid debiting and payment from the said accounts for a period of 7 seven days so as to preserve funds held therein.” ruled Ochoi.
At the expiry of the 7 days freeze order, Desire through his Lawyer, Danstan Omari moved the court for extension of freeze orders stating that if Koome is given the leeway to withdraw the funds, the complainant would incur immense loss.
Satisfied that indeed Desire would suffer prejudice if the accused is allowed to tamper with the funds, the Court extended the freeze orders.
The court also gave orders for DCI to be allowed to investigate Koome’s bank accounts, retrieve account opening documents, withdrawal slips and statements from May 1 to September 18 2023.
Aggrieved of the freeze order, he moved to the High Court seeking the Court to stay the orders and allow him to withdraw the cash.
He also asked the High Court to bar the Directorate of Public prosecutions from investigating his bank accounts.
Koome claimed that the orders to freeze his accounts was unconstitutional and violated his right of fair hearing as provided for in Article 50 of the Constitution.
However, in what appears to be a dampened hope for Koome and a big win to the Complainant Desire Muhiyunza, when the matter came up for mention today before Justice Mutende, Koome withdrew his application to have the Court overturn the lower Court’s freeze orders and allow him withdraw the funds.
In the case, Koome is also charged with stealing USD 100,000 (apprx Sh 14.9 million) from Stay Online, Limited, money which had been entrusted to him to make payment of provision of taxes for the said company.
In addition, Koome is accused of making a false entry of USD 100, 000 to his USD account held at Equity Bank and giving false information to a police officer.
The case is still active in Court.
