Court Orders Arrest of Sh13.7M Conman

From left, James Warutere Njege, Mercy Wangui Gichema and Stephen Ndiritu in the dock. PHOTO/Kibochi Karanja.

A Nairobi court has released a warrant of arrest against a businessman who was the mastermind of the fake tender to refurbish Moi International Sports Center and conned a business lady Sh 13.7 million.

Paul Mwangi Warutere who is charged alongside his father James Warutere Njege and two others failed to appear in court for the hearing of the case despite the case being pending in court for six years.

The matter was allocated for hearing yesterday where all parties agreed to be available during the mention early this month.

His lawyer submitted before the court that he was ready to proceed with the matter but was informed that his client was sick and in hospital and hence could not appear in court,

“Your honor I was ready to proceed but unfortunately I was informed that my client is sick and in hospital,” he submitted.

His co-accused James Warutere Njege, Stephen Ndiritu and Mercy Wangui Gichema appeared before the court.

State prosecutor Herbert Sonye pleaded with the magistrate to release a warrant of arrest against Mwangi citing that the matter had been postponed severally where the defence counsels had been coming up with reasons to delay the matter,

“Your honor I pray this court to release a warrant of arrest against the accused person since his failure to appear in court is a tactic to continue delaying this matter which has taken a long time before the commencement of the hearing,” Sonye prayed.

He further told the court that no medical document was presented in court to confirm the allegations of Mwangi being in the hospital.

The Milimani senior principal magistrate Dolphina Alego noted that during the mention of the matter early this month, the parties agreed to be available for the hearing,

“We agreed with all parties that the hearing will commence today. I have also noted how this matter has dragged for a long time in court where the complainant has been waiting for justice,” the magistrate noted.

The magistrate further disputed the fact by the defence counsel that there has been a negotiation going on between the complainant and the accused where they have started the process of payment.

Alego indicated that if there were plans of payments it should have happened since the matter was brought to court in 2019 and she could not entertain the same.

“I cannot admit the fact that the accused has started paying the complainant six years down the line since the matter was brought to court. I believe they had enough time to negotiate and I hereby release a warrant of arrest against the first accused person,” she ordered.

Mwangi and his father Njege who were operating as Neutral Enterprises Limited and Topmax Media Limited jointly with two others who were in court court were charged with defrauding Jane Wanjiru Kabiruri who was trading as Janetek enterprises Sh 13, 746,205.

The court was informed that they pretended to be in a position to incorporate Wanjiru in a tender to refurbish Moi International Sports Center and Ligi Ndogo which was a false fact.

They were also charged with obtaining credit by false pretences which amounts to Sh 1,690,000 the offences took place on diverse dates between July 22, 2016 and September 8, 2018, in Nairobi city within Nairobi county.

The matter will come up for a hearing on March 17, 2025.