Chuka court allows police to detain sacco boss over fraud

A Chuka court in Tharaka-Nithi County on Thursday allowed police to hold a fraud suspect for 10 days to allow completion of investigations.

Chief Magistrate John Njoroge directed that Rachel Gakii Ananga, the alleged director of Raynam Savings and Credit Co-Operative Society Limited who is accused of swindling several people out of more than Sh2.1 million promising to give them different commodities, be detained at Chuka Police Station.

Police had sought to have the suspect detained for 14 days in order to complete the investigations arguing that, if released on bond, Ms Ananga was likely to interfere with investigations.

The investigating officer also said he needed enough time to acquire account statements of the complainants and that the suspect was a flight risk.

DENIED BOND

However, Mr Njoroge said 10 days were enough to complete investigations so that the suspect can take a plea.

“The suspect will remain in Chuka Police Station for 10 days as police conclude investigations so that the matter can continue on February 10, 2020,” said Mr Njoroge.

The suspect’s plea to the court to release her on bond arguing that she would not interfere with the investigations and that she was not a flight risk, were turned down.

The complainants are: Mr Kiemia Gitonga, Boniface Muriuki, Eric Kinyua, Benson Murimi, Loyd Munene and Kennedy Munene, among others, who alleged that they deposited their money into the account of Raynam Savings and Credit Co-operative Society Limited.

They reported to police that the suspect had promised to give them several commodities but the information turned out to be false.