Sh2bn fake dollar suspects out on bail

Four suspects arrested in connection with the Sh2 billion fake cash stashed in a Barclays Bank branch in Nairobi yesterday were released on bond.

Eric Adede, Mahamed Ejaz (alias Ahmed Shah), Mary Mwangi (alias Elizabeth Muthoni) and Irene Kimani (alias Charity) were charged with conspiring to defraud by falsely pretending they were doing genuine business as investors.

The four were accused of planning to defraud Muriithi Mbuthia, who was to give them Sh20 million.

They appeared before resident magistrate Zainab Abdul.

Adede was charged with being in possession of papers intended to resemble and pass as currency notes and with possession of minerals contrary to the Minerals Act.

They pleaded not guilty. Adede was released on Sh1 million cash bail or Sh2 billion bond, while the rest were freed on Sh500, 000 cash bail or a bond of Sh1 million bond each.

The case will be mentioned on May 4.

Bank officials Boaz Ochich and Charles Manzi, who were arrested alongside the four suspects, will be state witnesses.

Ejaz and Mwangi were also charged with obtaining money falsely between October 11 and November 1, 2018, at Railways Club in Nairobi.

They are accused of defrauding Nicholus Cheruiyot and obtaining Sh5.8 million by falsely pretending to be in a position to sell him valuable seeds knows as Tetra seeds.

Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti on Tuesday reported that Sh2 billion in fake dollars was found stashed in a client's safe deposit box at Barclays Bank, Queensway branch.

Flying Squad officers led by their boss Musa Yego swooped down on the bank in pursuit of the fake currency scam.

Adede is alleged to have been keeping fake dollars in one of the bank's safes. He brought potential investors to see his 'largesse.' Police suspect he was on a mission to defraud the business people.

The court last week had allowed investigating officer Daniel Talaam five days to hold the three to establish their real identities from the Registrar of Persons and to review CCTV footage from the bank.

Investigators also recovered another safe wrapped in a black polythene bag containing minerals suspected to be gold deposited by Adede early last year.

Adede is alleged to be the owner of the box. He is a politician in Rangwe constituency, Homa Bay county. Shah allegedly posed as an international investor in the deal.