Man charged with defrauding trader inside city mosque
A man who is reported to have defrauded a trader Sh230,000 inside a city mosque while claiming he would utter miraculous prayers to change the Kenyan currency into Dollars has been charged with fraud.
Lali Mohamed Abdi was accused of obtaining fraudulently Sh230,000 from Erick Shikoli Litwachi alleging he would “change the same amount of KSh230,000 into USDollars.”
Abdi a Muslim faithful was arrested on February 21, 2023, four days after disappearing with the money inside Jamia Mosque on February 17,2023.
Police begun to trace the suspect after a report was filed at the Central Police Station the same day (February 17) by Litwachi who believed a miracle would be done after the performance of the prayers at the Mosque.
“Is it true you obtained the money fraudulently when you knew you could not perform the miracle to change the Kenya currency into USDollars,” Mr Onyina asked the accused.
The magistrate added, “You knew you were cheating Litwachi that you could change the Kenya currency into US Dollars.”
In response the accused answered:“It is not true.”
Abdi applied to be admitted to bond saying he is not a flight risk and that he will turn up in court to face his accuser during the trial where several witnesses have been listed.
A state prosecutor did not oppose the release of the suspect on bond adding that the terms must be stringent since the harshness of the penalty upon conviction is an incentive for the accused to jump bail.
The magistrate released Abdi on a bond of Sh3million.
Mr Onyina fixed the case to be mentioned on February 28, 2023 for further directions on pre-trial directions.
Meanwhile Onyina directed the prosecution to supply to the accused all the witness statements and exhibits intended to be relied upon at the hearing of the case to enable the suspect to prepare his defence.
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