• The suspects appeared before chief magistrate Martha Mutuku and denied the charges.
• In the second count, the suspects are charged with making a document without authority.
Image: FILE
Seven people linked to a Sh180 million fake laptop tender using the name of the Office of the Deputy President in 2018 have been charged afresh.
Allan Chesang, Teddy Awiti, Kevin Nyongesa, Auguatine Matata, Joy Kamau , James William Makokha alias Wanyonyi and Johan Ochieng Osore appeared before chief magistrate Martha Mutuku and denied the charges.
The seven jointly with others not before court are accused of offering a tender document under the name of the Office of Deputy President for the supply of 2,800 laptops with intent to defraud.
The court heard that the offence was committed on diverse dates between May 30, 2018 and August 12, 2018.
In the second count, the suspects are charged with making a document without authority.
The court heard that they made an LPO document purporting it to be a genuine local purchase order issued by an assistant procurement officer at the Office of the Deputy President.
The seven are also accused of obtaining goods by false pretenses.
They allegedly obtained the laptops the property of Makidu Motors Limited along Mombasa-Nairobi highway by purporting that they had a genuine tender document from the office of DP.
Chesang, an MP aspirant for Kwanza, faced three other counts of making a document without authority.
He allegedly made a VIP car sticker slot no 25 on a vehicle purporting it to be a genuine sticker issued by a superintendent officer at Deputy President William Ruto’s office.
He is also said to have made another car sticker for Parliament for a vehicle purporting it to be a genuine sticker issued by Chief Security and Safety officer at Parliament Buildings.
The seven and Johan Ochieng Osore were also charged with abuse of office.
The court heard that being a person employed as the deputy director research based at the Deputy President’s office, Osore gave out his office to Joy Wangari in abuse of authority.
The suspects took a fresh plea after the prosecution consolidated the cases.
The matter was scheduled for hearing but Osore said he was bereaved and sought to be allowed to attend his father’s funeral.
The complainant (Makidu Motors Limited) through lawyer Peninah Makena objected to the adjournment, saying the matter has delayed and requested the investigating officer verifies that indeed Osore’s father is dead.
"It has been almost a year since the case was filed and a hearing is yet to start, kindly let have a closer date for the hearing”, Makena told court.
Magistrate Mutuku directed the matter to be heard on December 22.