BY IRENE ONYANGO.
Two foreigners accused of obtaining Sh7.5 million by false pretence have finally released on bail after spending three months in remand.
Bashir Ali Gabow and Mohammed Muhamud Abdi were released on a cash bail of Sh1.5 million, each by Makadara law court Principal Magistrate M.A. Opondo.
The two accused persons were also ordered to produce two Kenyan contact persons and deposit their passports in court, pending hearing and determination.
The duo were also cautioned against interfering with witnesses and to report to the police once a week effective from August 2022.
Gabow and Abdi were charged with obtaining Sh7.5 million from Amina Elmi Hassan by pretending that they were capable of selling shares of Akrama Apartment limited to her.
It is alleged that the two committed the offence on February 25, 2019 at South B area in Industrial area, Nairobi.
The prosecution had applied to have them denied bond on grounds that they were foreign nationals and had to verify their passports from the Immigration department.
But the duo told the court that the prosecution was taking advantage of the fact that they were foreigners to deny them bail.
They added that bail is a constitutional right to all accused persons including foreigners should be granted the right.
“If there was to be any suspicions of fake passports, then the immigration could have been informed immediately. The investigating officer could have followed up the matter and reported to court rather than keeping the accused persons in custody for that long,” they added.
The court instructed the investigative officer to report a file from immigration within 14 days after which the matter will be mentioned on July 15.
