Businessman David Waweru Charged With Sh10 Million Fraud

Nairobi-based oil dealer David Waweru Kamotho was on Monday released on a personal bond of Sh 1 million after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of obtaining Sh 10 million through fraud.

The ruling was delivered by Magistrate Lucas Onyina following a hearing where the accused denied a charge of cheating contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code.

The court was told that on March 15, 2023, at Westlands in Nairobi County, Waweru allegedly induced Kipngeno Obed Kigen to pay him $70,200, an amount stated to be equivalent to ten million Kenyan shillings, by means of a fraudulent trick.

After the court declined an application by the accused to defer his plea, Waweru formally entered a plea of not guilty. His defense team subsequently applied for his release on bond, arguing that he was an established businessman with deep roots in the community and a known address in Nairobi.

The lawyers presented him as a person who was not a flight risk, noting his previous cooperation with the judicial process. The court’s decision to grant release on a personal bond, as opposed to a cash bail, signifies a finding that the accused is a suitable candidate for this form of release based on his personal undertaking to appear for his trial.

A personal bond does not require an immediate cash deposit but holds the accused liable for the bond amount should he fail to attend court proceedings.

The case against Waweru is set to proceed through the legal system, with the prosecution expected to lay out its evidence in subsequent hearings.

The matter will now move towards pre-trial conferences where timelines for the presentation of evidence and witnesses will be established.