Bishop Gakuyo Freed But Slapped With Conditions After Charge Of Ksh1.3B Fraud
Gakuyo who runs Ekeza Sacco, is facing charges of obtaining money by false pretenses by claiming that he could invest in real estate and money markets.
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Popular televangelist David Kariuki Ngare, alias Bishop Gakuyo, who claimed that he was arrested by detectives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, has been charged with conspiring to defraud approximately Ksh1.3 billion from members of the public.
Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Benm Mark Enkhubi, Gakuyo who runs Ekeza Sacco, is facing charges of obtaining money by false pretenses by claiming that he could invest in real estate and money markets.
Specifically, it was claimed that he falsely promised a woman a loan three times the amount she had invested in Ekeza Sacco, resulting in her transferring Ksh170,000.
He however denied 12 charges of obtaining money through false pretence between 2015 and 2018.
Bishop David Kariuki Ngari also known as Gakuyo. /FILE
As a result, Gakuyo was released on a cash bail of Ksh10 million with two contact persons of similar financial standing, as well as an alternative bond of Ksh20 million with two sureties, but they were not let go without the following conditions:
"The contact persons are to be examined by the court and one must be a public officer," the Magistrate ordered on Monday, February 26.
Enkhubi also instructed Gakuyo to surrender his passport to the court and refrain from tampering with witnesses involved in the ongoing investigation.
On Thursday, February 22, detectives sought court orders to detain Gakuyo for four days to conclude investigations into the alleged theft of more than Ksh1 billion from Sacco members.
Corporal Bernard Gikandi, of the Financial Investigations Unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), sought orders to hold the suspect at the Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi, via an application through the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
He told Senior Resident Magistrate Geoffrey Onsaringo that he was investigating a case of conspiracy to commit a felony, obtaining money by false pretences, stealing and money laundering.
The detective claimed Gakuo and his companies defrauded more than 50,000 people spread across the country, prompting the launch of an investigation in March 2019.
"There has been a public outcry from the victims and other affected persons ... in light of the closure of the offices belonging to the respondent and the said companies," he said.
Gakuyo recorded a video on Wednesday, February 21 narrating his ordeal while being detained by the detectives from the DCI at JKIA.
The controversial televangelist noted that he was planning to fly out of the country but the detectives stopped him in his tracks and barred him from catching his flight.
In the self-recorded video, Gakuyo claimed that he was unaware of the motive behind his arrest at the airport, though he had linked it to a political witch hunt.
"They say I cannot leave the country. I’m at JKIA. I just think there is some revenge somewhere.
"I’m happy I might get an opportunity to see the judge and be told on what case I have. Right now I’m at the DCI airport,” Gakuyo said in the video.
Gakuyo who unsuccessfully contested the Thika Town MP seat in the 2022 elections, has been on the police radar over allegations of embezzling over Ksh1 billion from members of his Ekeza Sacco.
This was after the Ministry of Trade filed the complaint at the DCI headquarters setting the stage for investigations into the scandal affecting 78,000 members of Ekeza Sacco.
