Two Travel Company Staffs charged with Sh 14 million fraud.

Two Directors of Eco-beast Travel and Safaris Limited have been charged at milimani law with Sh 14 million fraud.
Abdikhani Ibrahim Ali, Najma Chaudhry and Ecobeast Travel and Safaris Limited appeared before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi and denied the charges.
They faced the charge of obtaining money by false pretenses section 313 of the penal code.
They are said to have committed the offense on March 30, 2021 in Nairobi with intent to defraud obtained from T.P Mazembe a football team in the Democratic Republic of Congo an amount of USD 132,440 equivalent to Sh 14,434,870 by falsely pretending that they were in a position to charter an aircraft registration number 5Y-JWF, Type F70 belonging to Jetways Airlines to ferry TP Mazembe players from Lubumbashi to Algiers on 31/03/2021 knowing it was false.
In the second count, they were charged with conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 317 of the penal code.
Abdikhani Ibrahim Ali and Najma Chaudhry were accused that on diverse dates between March 26, 2021 and April 4, 2021 in Nairobi within Nairobi County, with intent to defraud T.P Mazembe a football team in the Democratic Republic of Congo an amount of USD 132,440 equivalent to Sh 14,434,870 equivalent to Sh 14,434,870 by falsely pretending that they were in a position to charter an aircraft registration number 5Y-JWF, Type F70 belonging to Jetways Airlines to ferry TP Mazembe players from Lubumbashi to Algiers on 31/03/2021 knowing it was false.
Through their lawyer Timothy Omondi, the accused requested the court to release them on favorable bond terms saying that they are not a flight risk and were arrested by the officers from their homes in the Morning of Friday.
“The accused are Kenyan Citizens and will attend court when required, they presented themselves to Investigation Officer, “added Omondi.
He requested for a personal bond or reasonable cash bail.
Omondi said that this matter should not be criminal because it involve a business transactions adding that it should be commercial dispute.
He added that the prosecution is abusing the court process by obtaining orders to freeze the accused’s accounts at First Bank limited.
“Obtaining such orders at a magistrate’s court is an abuse of court process because this matter should be dealt with at a commercial court,” added Omondi.
He added that the officers took the accused phones upon arrest. Prosecutor Angela Fuchaka told Andayi that the accused phones and exhibits will be used as an exhibit.
“We are aware that the matter has been filed as judicial review but there is no stay order,”added Fuchaka.
They were released on Sh 700,000 bond or a cash bail of Sh 500,000 each.
The matter will be mentioned on May 24, 2021 before court number 10.
Andayi said he will not deal with the issue of freezing the account coz his court lacks jurisdiction on that.