Court orders police to charge businessman arrested for conning dozens of women
A Mombasa court has given police two days to charge a businessman suspected of falsely obtaining millions of shillings from women across the country.
Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo ruled that the police had no valid reasons to continue detaining the suspect namely Simon Ekai Ewoi for 14 more days to allow them complete investigations.
He stated that the suspect had been in custody since his arrest on March 25 and all along detectives have not produced him before court to face relevant charges.
"According to your affidavit, the suspect has been in custody since March 25 and in between there were working days when you had a chance to present him before the court for plea taking," he noted.
Odhiambo however allowed police to hold the suspect for two more days.
"For the avoidance of doubt l will grant you two days to finalize your report and produce the suspect back here following the expiry of the two days," he ruled
Ekai is being investigated for the offence of obtaining huge sums of money from his victims mainly being rich businesswomen.
According to the investigating officer George Willy Ndirangu, the suspect is being investigated over claims of obtaining money by false pretence.
Ndirangu sought to have the suspects held for 14 more days to enable police to complete investigations, arguing that investigations being carried out required more time.
He told the court that police were investigating the origin of a signature believed to be that of former President Uhuru Kenyatta which was used in one of Ekais documents to con a complainant Ksh40 million.
"There are documents containing signatures which are believed to be forged and they have not been investigated yet," Ndirangu said.
He informed the court that police needed more time to visit the suspect's home and retrieve the documents which would be used in the trial.
The investigating officer told the Magistrate that he was apprehensive that if the suspect was released at the moment he would abscond court.
"The applicant is fearful that if the suspect is released at this stage he may go into hiding and efforts to arrest him before entailed a lot of efforts and coordination," he informed the court.
The suspect is accused of posing as a wealthy businessman who preys on his victims at posh restaurants, airports as well as at the beach during early morning walks.
In most of the cases, police said the suspect introduced himself as a businessman dealing in the exportation of gold and would request his victims for loans to be repaid within two days, claiming that his accounts had been frozen by the government.
He is set to appear before court on Thursday.
