Nairobi News

News

How suspected fraudster conned close friend of Sh1.4m in gemstones scam

By Joseph Ndunda September 11th, 2022 2 min read

A suspected fraudster who allegedly conned his close friend of Sh1.4 million after promising to incorporate her in a business deal has been charged with obtaining money by false pretenses contrary to section 313 of the penal code.

Mr Simeon Anyango is facing charges of defrauding Ms Monica Auma of the cash in Kawangware, Nairobi on diverse dates between October 1 and 31, 2021. The suspect is reported to have promised to incorporate the complainant as a partner in gemstones mining business knowing the same was false.

Also read: Man who failed to pay Sh3,200 bill for food and beer fined Sh10,000

Ms Auma, who is a small-scale trader, gave the accused the cash in different amounts. At some point, the accused is reported to have told the complainant that he was traveling to Tanzania to buy a gemstone mine and asked her for some money which she gave him.

Mr Anyango later went back to the complainant and told her that he needed to return to Tanzania to collect the commodity and asked her for more money.  While away on the “trip”, he claimed to have been arrested in the neighbouring country and asked to be sent money which Ms Auma obliged and sent him via M-Pesa.

Also read: LGBTQ members charged with unlawful assembly after holding demos in Nairobi

This went on until Ms Auma realized that she was being conned and made a report at Muthangari Police Station. Police laid an ambush and arrested Mr. Owino at Ms. Auma’s house where he had gone to collect money she had promised.

The accused denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate William Tullen at the Kibera Law Courts. He appealed for lenient bail and bond terms claiming he has a family fully dependent on him and was granted a bond of Sh800,000 without an option of a cash bail. The case will be mentioned on September 22, 2022 for a pre-trial and fixing of hearing dates.

Also read: Gladys Wanga goes after county health workers stealing medical supplies