Stage Name or Scam? Congolese Musician in Court Over Passport Claims
The accused was on his trial to leave the country in a bid to evade justice where jointly with others not before the court are under investigation concerning the Ksh 47.7 million gold scam business.
An alleged Congolese musician charged in a Nairobi court with giving false information to a person serving in a public office has denied the allegations citing the use of a stage name.
The 69-year-old music star from Congo was arrested at the Namanga border on his way to his home country and is alleged to have presented a temporary passport bearing different names from the passport he deposited in court earlier.
Muderwa Mega Abedi is said to have produced a temporary travel document to Hillary Kipng’eno Tonui, an immigration officer at the Namanga border posing to be Banambaya Kapapa Emery, to be cleared to exit Kenya. The offence took place on April 15, 2025.
Through his defense lawyers Danstan Omari and Shadrack Wambui, he told the Milimani principal magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo that, he is a musician from Congo bearing different stage names hence denying the main charge of posing to be another person,
“Your honor the man in the dock is a musician from Congo bearing several stage names and as we pray for his release, it is important to put the court on notice before giving directions on bond and bail terms,” Omari submitted.
He added that their client is ailing, and having health complications where he needs close attention from his doctors. The lawyer told the court they were yet to produce medical reports which are in Congo and considering the instability faced in that country they could not assure when they would be available.
On his part, Wambui urged the court to apply Article 49 of the constitution where the accused persons despite their nationality are entitled to bail and bond pending the trial,
“Your honor the accused enjoys presumption of innocence until proven guilty and he is enlightened to bail and bond unless there are compelling reasons. As per now the prosecution have not produced evidence for him to be denied bail and bond,” Wambui said.
Wambui further suggested that the accused person was supposed to be charged in Kajiado Law Courts but was brought to Nairobi citing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) might have hidden intentions behind the charges.
The court heard that the accused was on his trial to leave the country in a bid to evade justice where jointly with others not before the court are under investigation concerning the Ksh 47.7 million gold scam business.
State prosecutor James Murage told the magistrate that, on April 4, 2025, ordered to report to the officer investigating the matter daily accompanied by his lawyer and complied until April 12, when he appeared without the lawyer. He was directed to report back on Tuesday, April 15, where he failed,
“The suspect failed to appear before the investigators as agreed, only to learn through the immigration counterparts at Namanga border that he has been arrested trying to flee the country. He was in possession of a Congolese temporary travelling document bearing the name Banambaya Kapapa Emery,” Murage told the court.
He also submitted that the accused person’s abode is not known posing a flight risk.
He asserted that, following the actions and behavior of the suspect, “it came to the attention of investigating officers that the respondent is a flight risk and through the intelligence gathered, the suspect is being assisted by his accomplices to evade arraignment for plea.”
He urged the court to deny him bond or bail.
