Woman rep aspirant in hot soup for issuing bouncing cheques
Police in Kakamega are investigating an aspirant for the woman representative seat accused of issuing bouncing cheques to car-hire companies totalling to Sh324,000.
County Police Commander Joseph Kigen confirmed that Ms Loice Faith Agoi (Kanu) was accused by traders in Kisumu of hiring their vehicles and failing to pay them.
The politician is said to have hired six Toyota Prados from Kenla Tours and Travel Company for use when she presented her documents to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on June 1.
Ms Florence Musau, one of the proprietors of the car-hire company, said she gave Ms Agoi one of her vehicles and a driver for an agreed price of Sh12,000 per day for four days.
Ms Musau said the politician initially owed Sh264,000 for six vehicles but that amount had risen to Sh324,000 because of payments to drivers and follow-up charges.
“I did not get the money on the agreed day and after several days, I was forced to travel to Kakamega to find out what was happening. She pleaded with me, requesting more time until June 6 [and] claiming she had exhausted her money,” Ms Musau said.
Ms Musau said she called Ms Agoi on June 6 but could not reach her by phone. She tried again on June 7 but the politician said she was not feeling well and had been admitted to hospital.
After several more attempts until June 9, Ms Musau received cheques from Ms Agoi but when she took them to the bank, they bounced.
“I called her, but she claimed she was looking for money to clear the debt immediately. I sensed danger and proceeded to the Kakamega Police Station, where I reported the matter via OB number 50/10/6/22,” she said.
“It is unfortunate that the officer who was handed the mandate to follow up on the matter has been taking us in circles and in the end claimed that they were unable to arrest the suspect because she is a politician. We have been forced to move to higher offices to seek assistance.”
Other complaints
Mr Kigen, the commander, said police were following up on a raft of complaints raised against the politician.
“The matter is being followed up by the sub-county security officers and once it is established, we will take appropriate action against the accused,” said Mr Kigen.
Reached for comment on the matter, Ms Agoi confirmed that she hired the six vehicles to use on June 1, when she presented her documents to IEBC for clearance.
“My budget for the event was Sh1.2 million. I had been promised by my party (Kanu) some money to facilitate the ceremony. But I have not received this money today. This is how I got mixed up and failed to clear the payments,” she said.
But she pointed an accusing finger at her political rivals, saying they are trying to tarnish her name because she is the frontrunner for the woman rep seat.
“They have tried all dirty games against me to sabotage my candidature, including planting spies on me who ended up stealing valuable items and documents from me so that I could not be cleared,” she said.
“But I outwitted them and I am on the ballot. They have now reached to the people who leased me their vehicles in their efforts to ensure I don’t win the election on August 9.”
She confirmed that she had been summoned by the police and that she had settled the matter.
“I have met the police and sorted it out. I have never been arrested or detained in the police station because whenever the police want to talk to me, they usually call me and we talk,” she said.
She claimed that she was waiting for money from clients who have rented several of her premises in Kakamega town to clear the debt within the next three days.
