UDA MCA Aspirant in Court for Conning a Businesswoman of Sh16 Million

An aspiring MCA has been charged with defrauding a businesswoman of Sh16 million.

Kennedy Kinuthia, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party aspirant for Kamahuha Ward in Murang’a County, was arraigned before Kiambu Chief Magistrate Emily Ominde on Monday.

Kinuthia is accused of defrauding Caroline Wambui of Sh16 million by pretending that he was in a position to help her to secure tenders for the supply of staff uniforms and construction of classrooms with the Saboti Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

The charge sheet stated that he committed the offenses on diverse dates between February 1st, 2018 and December 30th, 2020, 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 reads in part.

Kinuthia pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a cash bail of Sh2.5 million or an alternative bond of Sh5 million. 

The court also directed 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 matter will be mentioned on August 1st.

Wambui, 40, says a friend introduced her to Kinuthia, who claimed to be a well-connected person within the corridors of power and would help her secure lucrative tenders.

She ended up giving the man Sh16 million only to later learn that she had been conned after Kinuthia disappeared and cut communication with her. Efforts to recover her money were in vain.

On Friday, Wambui bumped into Kinuthia on Kimathi street in Nairobi, and raised the alarm, attracting a crowd and the police, who arrested him.

The deal did not only leave her fighting auctioneers and shylocks seeking to recover the money they lent her, but has also ruined her marriage of 14 years. Wambui co-owned a supplies business with her former husband Moses Kiarie, 

“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,” Kiarie told Nation.