A travel agent charged with over Sh 7.9 million fraud,has been freed on Sh 400,000 cash bail.
Brian Reeves Obare is accused of obtaining money amounting Sh 7,948,650 from Nancy Najira Odhungo being money paid by the Visa Applicants at Golden Key Travel Consultants company, by falsely pretending that he was in a position to process travel visas at the Canadian Embassy for the said clients, a fact he knew to be false.
He has been in custody since he was charged awaiting bond ruling.
Obare is alleged to have committed on diverse dates between 1 January 2022 and 31st January 2024 in Nairobi, with intent to defraud.
Obare’s lawyer had made an application to have the plea taking deferred on grounds that the accused is unwell having suffered injuries at the time of arrest.
Obare is implicated in a scheme that siphoned millions of shillings from the pockets of unsuspecting Kenyans.
He had earlier appeared before magistrate Lucas Onyina on October 30,2024 who was to deliver a ruling on bond terms but recused himself from the case.
Magistrate Onyina said the he will not handle this matter because the family of the accused approached him in chambers at tried to persuade him to be lenient.
“I will not handle this matter because the defense approached me and tried to convince me to be lenient while delivering a ruling on bail,”said Onyina.
The matter was handled by Senior Principal Magistrate who detained him.
Brian Reeves Obare has been accused that on diverse dates between January 1,2022 and January 31,2024 at Nairobi City in Nairobi County,with intend to defraud obtained money amounting to Sh 7,948,650.
He is said to have obtained the money from Nancy Najira Odhungo,being the money paid by the Visa Applicants at Golden Key Travel position to process the Travel Visa at the Canadian Embassy for the said clients knowing it was untrue.
The defense had requested that the suspect be detained.
lawyer Alex Masake for the victim requested the court to consider that there are other victims who have also recorded statements that they have been defrauded.
He said that the accused place of aboard is not known and he kept changing his mobile phone.
Masake said that the suspect is a bearer of foreign passports and is frequent traveller thus he should be denied bail.
The prosecution said that the accused is highly likely to interfere with the witnesses.
The prosecution informed the court that ever since accused was presented before the court ,he has been at large, his Mobile has been off air since then,his office has been closed at Golden Key travel consultants.
The prosecution said it has taken so long to complete this matter and a lot of resources has been used in effecting his arrest in this matter.
“If he is released,he may not come to court to complete this matter,since he is a frequent traveller from outside and inside the country,”added Investigating Officer Eunice Njeri.
The officer said that if the accused is released he may lead the country in problems.The actual place of aboard of the accused is unknown.
Obare’s arrest took place in Ongata Rongai town, a culmination of efforts sparked by a formal complaint lodged by one of his victims on August 19, 2024. The investigation gained momentum following a further detailed report captured in another letter dated October 8, 2024. According to the allegations, Obare colluded with accomplices to lure victims with false promises of employment opportunities in Canada, assuring them of assistance with necessary documentation. Tragically, these assurances were nothing more than empty words, leaving many individuals in severe financial hardships.
