Court frees 3 siblings accused of stealing Sh54.4m
James Ndwiga Muchungu, Ian Nyaga Ndwiga and Lisa Mumbi Ndwiga in the dock over theft of funds from Meridian Acceptance Limited.
What you need to know:
- Mr Mwinzi claimed that Mr Muchungu had sacked all the other staff in MAL and employed his relatives.
A Nairobi court on Friday released a managing director of a micro-finance company and his relatives who were accused of stealing Sh54.4 million from the lender.
Mr James Muchungu, Mr Ian Nyaga and Ms Lisa Mumbi were jointly charged with conspiring to steal Sh176,934,104 from Meridian Acceptance Limited (MAL) between January 1 2017 and December 31 2020.
Mr Muchungu was charged with stealing Sh23,018,621 between January 1 2017 and December 31 2020 while Mr Nyaga has been accused of stealing Sh20,836,817. Ms Mumbi was accused of stealing Sh10,636,569.
Through his lawyer Mwendwa Mwinzi, Mr Eduardo Hernadez De La Rosa Ciriza, the investor in the micro-finance firm, opposed the release of the three suspects saying that this would put his life in danger.
The court, however, released the suspects. Mr Muchungu was released on Sh1.5 million cash bail while Mr Nyaga and Ms Mumbi were freed on Sh1 million bond each.
Mr Andayi said although there were allegations of threats on the life of Mr Eduardo and his relatives, there was no evidence that the accused were involved.
Threats
Mr Mwinzi told the court that his client had been receiving threats since the mysterious death of his brother Gonzalo Hernadez Ciriza. He alleged that his brother Gonzalo died in his car near Nairobi Central Police Station after having a confrontation with Mr Muchungu at the Meridian Acceptance Limited (MAL) Nairobi.
“Gonzalo died in suspicious circumstances inside his car while on his way from work after having a quarrel with Mr James Muchungu who threatened him,” Mr Eduardo stated in a sworn affidavit filed in court.
Mr Mwinzi claimed that Mr Muchungu had sacked all the other staff in MAL and employed his relatives.
“Mr Muchungu has changed the locks and barred Mr Eduardo, who is also the chairman of the establishment, from accessing the MAL office even after investing Sh380 million.”
The defence lawyer Charles Njenga urged the court not to be swayed by the colossal figures quoted in the charge sheets.
The court warned the suspects against interfering with prosecution witnesses. The case will be mentioned in two weeks.
