Directors charged with stealing Sh110 million from Heritage Flowers
Two directors are battling charges of stealing Sh10 million from Heritage Flowers Ltd.
The duo namely Shailesh Kumar Rai and his wife Ranjeeta Pandey Rai who are directors at Rosalia Blooms Limited, together with two employees Isaac Ikua Kihara and Chris Oyunge appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Nanzushi and denied several charges of conspiracy to defraud and forgery.
Rai, Ranjeeta, Ikua and Oyunge denied conspiring to defraud Euros 368,416.71 (Sh60,678,687) and USD 348,166.94 (Sh49,578,972) the property of Heritage Flowers Limited.
The prosecution through state counsel Judy Ingutia alleges that on September 21, 2021, and August 2022, at Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) in Nairobi, they concealed the disposition of monies they knew were proceeds of crime.
The husband and wife were further accused of concealing a transaction of USD 88,495 (Sh12,566,290) at DTB.
Also Rai, Ranjeeta and Kihara face another charge of forging minutes of the operations meeting of the management team dated September 17, 2021, purporting to be genuine.
The four also face another count forging a Commission Agreement at Heritage Flowers Limited Offices located at TRV Parkwest Office.
The seventh count is against Rai and Ranjeeta forged a loan agreement between Rosalia Bloom Limited (lender) and Shailesh Kumar (borrower), purporting it to be a genuine document made and signed on February 22, 2022.
Rai was further accused of forging minutes of a virtual meeting of directors of Rosalia Bloom Ltd on February 19, 2022.
All four face a joint count of forging a Trust Deed between Rosalia Bloom Ltd and Heritage Flowers Limited dated September 26, 2021.
The last count is that Shailesh, Ranjeeta, Ikua, Ontita and Rosalia conspired to defraud Heritage Flower Ltd Sh10,520,919, Euros 368,416.71 (Sh60,678,697) and USD 348,166.94 (Sh49,578,972).
Applying for the release of the accused on bond, a defence lawyer told Nanzushi that the criminal case is a replica of a civil suit pending at the high court.
“The current case is a mere criminalization of a civil case pending at the Commercial Division of the High Court,” the magistrate heard.
But Ingutia said she is unaware of the high court cases.
She did not oppose the release of the suspects on bond.
In a brief ruling the magistrate freed all the accused on bond of Sh 2 Millon each and ordered Ranjeeta who plead on behalf of the company to deposit the cash bail before September 14.
Nazushi further granted the prosecution 14 days to supply the accused copies of witnesses statements and exhibits.
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