Exposed, Police ordered to release vehicles in Sh88.7 million fraud case
Accused allegedly awarded businessman three fake tenders amounting to Sh230 million
A Kiambu court has ordered police to release vehicles impounded from four accused persons charged with defrauding a businessman of over Sh 88.7 million.
They were allegedly engaged in a scheme involving award of fake government tenders.
Chief magistrate Patricia Gichohi directed the investigating officer to have the vehicles photographed before releasing them. The owners will deposit the logbooks with the investigating officer pending hearing and determination of the case.
Mapili David Mapili, Jackson Kiharo Mwondi and Mercy Wahiga Wanjiku have denied two counts of defrauding businessman Idris Ahmed Buko who is director of Naliye Agencies Ltd of goods including laptops worth Sh88,784,380 by falsely pretending that that they had a genuine tender to deliver and supply the items to ministry of ICT.
The accused persons are said to have committed the offence between July 12 and September 3, 2018 at Teleposta Towers in Nairobi.
They are said to be part of a cartel that operates within government offices and use fake letters and local purchase orders to award non-existent tenders to victims.
The four allegedly gave Buro three fake tenders amounting to Sh230 million. One of the tenders required him to deliver Panolin hydraulic lubricant to the government printer for Sh74.5 million.
They are also alleged to have asked Buko to supply 797 laptops to the ICT ministry at a cost of Sh125.9 million and software at Sh28.7 million.
Buro told investigators that one of the suspects posed as the acting head of procurement at the ministry of ICT during the award of the tender. “I would even meet him at the ministry’s offices on either the 9th or 10th floor,” he said.
The businessman told detectives he imported the computers from China and delivered them to the ICT ministry, but was asked to take them to a store in Hurlingham.
Police have so far impounded expensive cars believed to have been acquired using the money received from Buro. The vehicles include a Ford Ranger double cabin and a brand new V8.
The magistrate directed the case to be mention on May 3, for setting the hearing date.