Barclays Bank fake cash: 4 granted bail in Sh20m fraud case

Four suspects arrested after Sh2 billion in fake cash was found at a Barclays Bank branch in Nairobi were on Tuesday charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.

Erick Otieno Adede, a lawyer and international consultant, was charged alongside traders Mohamed Ejaz alias Shah, Mary Wanjiru Mwangi alias Elizabeth Muthoni and Irene Wairimu Kimani.

They faced a joint charge of conspiring to defraud businessman Muriithi Materi Mbuthia of Sh20 million at the bank's Queensway branch on March 19, while pretending to be investors.

Mr Adede, who lost to prominent lawyer Ambrose Rachier in the Gor Mahia FC chairmanship race, faced two other counts of being in possession of minerals and fake currency.

He denied that police found Sh20,067,900 in fake money and 41.373 kilogrammes of brass at the bank.

OTHER CHARGES

Mr Ejaz and Ms Mwangi, were jointly charged with defrauding two traders - Nicholas Cheruiyot and Nancy Chepkoech Chepkwony - of Sh5.8 million and Sh2.5 million respectively.

They allegedly did so by alleging they would sell them Tetra seeds which are highly valued for medical purposes.

It was said that the two obtained the money from the traders between October and November 2018 at Railways Club in Nairobi.

They also denied the charges.

CASH BAIL

State prosecutor James Machira opposed the release of the suspects saying the investigating officer needed two days to file an affidavit detailing reasons for this.

But defence lawyers Samson Nyaberi and Seth Ojienda opposed the request terming it "hopeless".

The lawyers urged Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi to release their clients as they had been in custody since March 19.

Mr Mandayi granted Mr Adede release on a Sh1 million cash bail and the rest on a cash bail of Sh300,000 each.

The trial will begin on May 9.