Popular Kikuyu singer John Njagi arrested

POPULAR Kikuyu benga musician John Njagi was on Wednesday arrested and charged at a Kiambu court for obtaining money by false pretences.

The charges came up after the singer, known for his hit Korwo Nindakui Tene, allegedly failed to show up for a show he had been contracted to perform on Valentine's Day at Kiambu's Riverside Hotel. The hotel's owner reported the matter to the police after Njagi subjected him to a cat-and-mouse game.

It is said that out of the Sh55,000 total performance fee agreed between the two parties, the burly singer had received a down payment of Sh28,500, but opted to pull a “no-show”. According to the hotel's owner, Njagi has been ignoring his numerous phone calls and text messages, prompting the police to lay a trap for him which eventually led to his arrest.

“Njagi was arrested after some guys posed as entrepreneurs who had just opened up a new club at Marurui area and were seeking his services. He asked for Sh100,000 in performance fee but settled on Sh80,000. They agreed to meet and pay a down payment of Sh60,000. As he went to pick the money on Wednesday at an agreed spot so that he would perform on Friday, the police pounced on him. He was arrested and taken to Kiambu Police Station,” a reliable source who wished not to be named told Word Is.

The singer could not raise the required Sh20,000 police cash bail and was remanded at the station's cells and appeared in court the following day where he denied the charges. Kiambu resident magistrate Monica Kivuti released him on a cash bail of Sh30,000 pending a hearing of the case on April 24.