Hearing Of A Case In Which Italian Nationals In Sh32M Kilifi Fraud Case Begins

The trial against two Italian nationals, Daniele Lo Coco and Massimo Nativi, who are accused of defrauding their fellow Italians of over Ksh 32 million, began at a Kilifi court on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.

The two are facing charges of obtaining money by false pretense after allegedly misleading two victims into paying for non-existent villas in the popular tourist resort town of Watamu, Kilifi County.

The accused, Lo Coco and Nativi, were arraigned before Kilifi Chief Magistrate James Mwaniki.

They were however charged afresh after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) amend the charges against them ahead of the hearing and have denied the charges.

The defense, led by Muthuri Kinyua, is representing the two Italians.

During the hearing on Tuesday, two witnesses testified, including Rita Nappo, one of the complainants.

Nappo in her evidence in chief gave a blow to blow account of how she was defrauded of Sh. 17 million in connection with the purchase of a villa in Watamu.

Testifying in court through an interpreter, as she only speaks Italian, Nappo recounted her experience of seeing an advertisement for villas for sale, which led her to contact the number listed.

She visited the property, signed documents, and was assured that everything was in order, with villas under construction.

However,she was never provided with the necessary documentation to prove her ownership.

Nappo further testified that despite receiving no legal documents or clear evidence of ownership, she trusted the accused persons and made the purchase in 2018.

She explained that she bought a two-floor villa for 140,000 euros but later discovered discrepancies in the property documents, including differences in the size of the villas.

The second witness, Cosmo Armeno, was asked by Nappo to translate the agreement from Italian to English.

Armeno confirmed that after translating the document, it was certified by the Italian consulate in Malindi.

It was only then that Nappo became aware of the fraudulent nature of the deal.

The two accused Italians are charged with defrauding Nappo and another victim, Girola Fiorenzo, of a total of Sh. 32 million by falsely pretending they could sublease villas located on Kilifi Jimba plot number 1544, a fact they allegedly knew to be untrue.

The fraud is said to have occurred between 2018 and 2021.

The case will resume further hearing on Wednesday, November 20, 2024