Court extends Ekeza Sacco boss David ‘Gakuyo’ Ngare detention pending arraignment
A Nairobi court has allowed police to detain Ekeza Sacco boss David ‘Gakuyo’ Ngare over the weekend ahead of his arraignment on fraud-related charges.
Mr Ngare will be arraigned on February 26, 2023, where he will battle charges of swindling unsuspecting members of the public Sh1 billion in a real estate scam.
The case has been ongoing at the Milimani Law courts for the past two days where angry complainants throned the premises with some inquiring on whether they would recover the stolen cash.
One of the complainants shouted in court: “What about my fate and that of others who gave the Bishop our money?”
Senior resident magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo directed Me Ngare, who has the alias Bishop David Kariuki Ngari be detained at the Muthaiga Police Station pending his arraignment.
“Liaise with the investigating officer (Cpl Gikandi) so that he can address your plight,” Mr Onsarigo advised the 70-year-old woman.
The outburst from complainants was met with resistance from the suspects’ lawyers Mwenda Njagi, Njiru Ndegwa, and Danstan Omari, who requested the magistrate to stop complaints from being ‘volunteered in open court’.
In his ruling, the magistrate explained the matter being probed was of great public interest and “police need time to conclude investigations which are at an advanced stage”.
The magistrate declined averments from defence that the suspects arrest at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport while enroute to Lusaka, Zambia smacks of mischief.
Mr Omari claimed,“ Bishop Ngari is being detained so that he does not attend the much publicised two-day Benny Hinn crusade at the Nyayo Stadium slated for February 24/25, 2024″.
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) exonerated police from the blame.
“The respondent was arrested following the hue and cry from members of the public,” state prosecutor Henry Kinyanjui told magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo at the Milimani law courts.
Also read: Cebbie Koks criticizes media amid alleged break-up speculations
Maasai Mara University closed indefinitely over students’ unrest over elections