Court reinstates Sh3 million bond for Eldoret suspect in jobs scam

Joseph Keino, when he appeared before the court in Eldoret /MATHEWS NDANYI

A court in Eldoret has reinstated a Sh3 million bond for a man accused of defrauding 18 youths of over Sh12 million in a fake foreign employment scheme.

 Joseph Kipkoech Keino is facing charges of conning the youths from the North Rift region under the pretense that he could help them secure jobs in Australia.

 His co-accused, Jael Jepkoech, is said to have fled to Qatar and remains at large.

 Police have since sought the help of Interpol through a court order to trace and extradite her to face charges.

 Keino had previously disappeared for five months after being charged, missing several mediation and court sessions.

 He was re-arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Nairobi and brought back to court, leading to the cancellation of his bond last month.

 On Tuesday, Keino made a fresh application to be released on cash bail, pleading with Principal Magistrate Kesse Cherono to grant him lenient terms so he could raise funds to refund the victims.

 “I plead that I be released on reasonable bond or cash bail terms so that I can go look for the money and refund it without failure,” Keino said.

 However, the magistrate rejected his request, citing his previous failure to honour court conditions and his repeated absence without explanation. She noted that the earlier bond cancellation was warranted, given his unwillingness to cooperate with the court process.

 “The court has noted that the accused failed to adhere to the bond terms, despite the seriousness of this matter,” said Magistrate Cherono. “He disobeyed court orders without providing any reasons and failed to attend both mediation and court proceedings, prompting the earlier warrant of arrest.”

 The magistrate further said the decision to reinstate bond, while cautious, also considered the safety of the accused. She noted growing public anger toward Keino, saying there was a need to maintain public peace and protect both the victims and the suspect.

 The prosecution, along with the victims' lawyer Edwin Ruto, had opposed the bail application.

 Ruto told the court that Keino was a clear flight risk and had consistently undermined the mediation process intended to settle the matter amicably.

 “Out of the five mediation sessions arranged by the court, the accused only attended one,” Ruto said. “Each time he was contacted, he would switch off his mobile phone, making it impossible for the process to proceed.”

 In response, Keino’s lawyer Elijah Ayieko blamed the poor communication between the mediation registry and the court for his client’s non-compliance. However, the court remained unconvinced and emphasised that such excuses did not justify his prolonged absence and disregard for the legal process.

 The case will be mentioned again on September 22, when the court is expected to issue further directions.