The allure of a lucrative tender and a get-rich-quick mentality has not only left Ms Caroline Wambui, 40, fighting auctioneers and shylocks seeking to recover the money they lent her, but has also shattered her marriage of 14 years in a business deal gone sour.
Ms Wambui was an astute businesswoman in supplies, a business she co-owned with her husband. The business was doing well, until a friend referred her to a friend, and her world came crashing down.
In 2018, a friend introduced Ms Wambui to Mr Kennedy Kinuthia, who claimed he was a well-connected person within the corridors of power, and would help her win business tenders.
Mr Moses Kiarie, Ms Wambui’s ex-husband, said: “It is true that the Sh16 million she lost was part of the reason we divorced. She conspired to use my money without my consent. She made me lose everything I had, (and I ended up) selling my property so that I can get back on my feet. It has been a painful journey… when you lose what took years to build.”
Yesterday, Mr Kennedy Kinuthia Njuguna was arraigned before a Kiambu court for defrauding Ms Wambui of Sh16 million by pretending that he was in a position to assist her to secure lucrative tenders for the supply of staff uniforms with the Saboti Constituency Development Fund.
Mr Kinuthia, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) aspirant for Kamahuha Ward, Murang’a County, appeared before Kiambu Chief Magistrate Emily Ominde, where he denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of Sh2.5 million or an alternative bond of Sh5 million.
“Between the 1st day of February 2018 and 30th December 2020, at Kiambu Town, within Kiambu county, with intent to defraud, you obtained Sh16,657,785 from Caroline Wambui Ngige, by falsely pretending that you had secured tenders for the supply of Saboti Constituency Development Fund (CDF) staff uniforms and construction of classrooms within Saboti Constituency, a fact you knew to be false,” the charge sheet submitted in court by Muthaiga Police Station reads.
Mr Kinuthia, who was represented in court by lawyer Ken Kimani, denied the charges.
The accused was arrested last Friday in Nairobi after efforts by Ms Wambui to recover her money failed. Ms Wambui bumped into Mr Kinuthia on Kimathi street, Nairobi, on Friday, and raised the alarm, attracting a crowd and the police.
Yesterday, the prosecution team, led by the investigating officer, Mr Francis Muringa, from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters, pleaded with the court not to give the accused reasonable bail terms, saying the matter before the court is weighty and talks between the petitioner and the accused to have the matter settled out of court had collapsed.
“I have considered the submissions made by both the prosecution and the defence. This offence is bailable and the accused should deposit a cash bail of Sh2.5 million or an alternative bond of Sh5 million. The court also rules that a Toyota Prado TX … which is said to have been bought from the proceeds of crime, be detained for a month as investigations continue. The case will come for mention on August 1,” Ms Ominde said in her ruling.
