BY IRENE ONYANGO.
A businessman facing Sh2.3 million fraud charges will remain in custody for nine days pending ruling on whether he will be released on bail.
Viraj Jitedra Amritlal Pattni will remain in custody as chief magistrate Susan Shitubi considers the application after the prosecution opposed his release on bail.
The prosecution opposed his release alleging that he absconded court for the past seven months and was only brought to court through warrants for his arrest.
The court further heard that Pattni is a flight risk since he knew of the pending criminal case against him and never bothered to present himself in court.
Pattni is accused fraudulently obtained cash amounting to Sh 2,375,000 from Shaitsa Khamisa Abdul Latif, an offence he allegedly committed on diverse dates between 17th January and 20th February 2023.
The charges stated that he obtained the millions by falsely pretending that he was in a position to supply two Tanzanite diamond rings, a Tanzanite bungle on 18kt yellow gold, Tanzanite earrings on gold and two Morganites earrings 8.2cts each, a fact he knew to be false.
The accused person is also charged that on 3rd March 2023, at Parklands area, he issued a cheque of DTB account no 0118665001 of Sh 475,000 in favour of Khamisa, knowing that the said account had insufficient funds.
The court heard that Pattni issued another bad cheque of Sh 95,000 to Khamisa.
