Benedict Otieno OdongoBenedict Otieno Odongo
A Nairobi court has released a man accused of obtaining Sh1.6 million by false pretence on a cash bail of Sh300,000 or an alternative bond of Sh800,000.
Benedict Otieno Odongo was arraigned before Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo at the Milimani Law Courts, where he faced charges of defrauding Rose Arch Logistics Limited by pretending he was in a position to supply steel bars of different sizes.
According to the charge sheet, Odongo allegedly committed the offence on February 24, 2025, within the Republic of Kenya.
He is accused of obtaining Sh1,600,580 from the logistics firm by falsely pretending he could deliver the materials, a fact the prosecution said he knew to be untrue.
When the charges were read to him, Odongo pleaded not guilty.
Without legal representation, he chose to address the court personally, asking for lenient bail terms.
He told the magistrate that he was not a flight risk and urged the court to consider his personal circumstances.
“I am the sole breadwinner of my family and a father to young children. I humbly ask the court to grant me lenient bail terms,” he said.
The prosecution however did not oppose his release on bail but left the issue of terms to the discretion of the court.
After considering his plea, Magistrate Onsarigo released him on a bond of Sh800,000 with one surety or, in the alternative, a cash bail of Sh300,000.
The case will be mentioned on September 15, 2025, for pretrial directions, during which the court will confirm witness statements, compliance with disclosure, and readiness for hearing.
“The matter shall be mentioned before Court 7 for pretrial, and all witness statements and documents to be used against the accused must be supplied before the hearing date.”said Onsarigo
If found guilty, Odongo risks a jail term of up to three years under Section 313 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes obtaining money by false pretence.
