A Nairobi court on Thursday charged a businesswoman accused of orchestrating a fake government tender scheme that allegedly led to the loss of about KSh60 million.
The accused, Joy Kamau, appeared before the court facing multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit a felony, obtaining money by false pretenses and forgery. She denied all charges, and the court scheduled the case for hearing.
According to prosecutors, the alleged offences occurred between September 4 and December 30, 2023. Kamau is accused of conspiring with others not before the court to defraud businessman Vijay Virma of USD 398,000, equivalent to approximately KSh60 million.
The prosecution told the court that Kamau claimed she could secure a government tender and linked the purported deal to the Ministry of Information, Communication and Digital Economy. The tender was presented as legitimate to convince the complainant to release funds.
Alleged scheme and court findings
Investigators told the court that no such tender existed, raising concerns about the authenticity of the documents used in the transaction.
In a separate charge, Kamau is accused of forging a Request for Quotation document dated November 1, 2023. Prosecutors allege she presented the document as an official ministry record to support the fraudulent scheme and persuade the complainant to release funds.
The court also heard that Kamau has another pending case involving similar allegations. The case, referenced as E257/2024, is scheduled for hearing on June 25, 2024 before a different court.
The magistrate granted Kamau release on a bond of KSh2 million or an alternative cash bail of KSh1 million.
Authorities said investigations into the matter are ongoing as the case proceeds to hearing.
