Businessman charged with defrauding overseas job seekers
A businessman who had gone into hiding after reportedly defrauding job seekers thousands of shillings between 2021 and 2022 has been presented to court on a warrant of arrest.
Micah Ajowi Akumu, a Nakuru based businessman, had allegedly cheated the jobseekers he would secure them employment overseas.
The suspect was arraigned before Milimani senior resident magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi.
He faces three counts of defrauding jobseekers Sh384,406 through pretences.
Akumu denied he cheated Lilian Sakwa, Henry Kyalo Ndawa and George Opiyo Ojuok that he would secure them lucrative cruize Hotel jobs in Canada.
Soon after pleading to the charges, state prosecutor Virginia Kariuki opposed his release on bond saying ‘he is a flight risk’.
Ms Kariuki told court there has been a pending warrant of arrest issued by the Kibera Law Courts against the suspect since January 2023.
The prosecutor told Ekhubi that police managed to arrest the accused from his Kakamega County rural home where he had retreated to.
She urged the court to detain the suspect from where he will be escorted to the Kibera law courts to answer charges of defrauding other job seekers.
Akumu, who is being defended by lawyer Collins Taliti, pleaded in vain to be remanded at the Kilimani Police Station to enable him access medication since he has a health challenge.
“My client has a serious health challenge that requires constant medical attention,” Mr Taliti told the magistrate.
The defence lawyer prayed the suspect be admitted to bond since ‘police know where to get him when they need him’.
But Mr Ekhubi allowed the prosecutions’ request to have the accused remanded at the Industrial Area Remand Prison where he will get proper medical attention to address his health condition.
The magistrate directed the suspect be produced before him September 19, 2023, for pre-trial directions.
Ekhubi had been told by Taliti the Kibera case had been withdrawn but the prosecutor said it had been shelved pending the arrest of the suspect.
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