An Egyptian Woman has been arraigned in a Nairobi Court with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations seeking ten-day detention order to conclude investigations into a case of alleged obtaining of money by false pretense.
According to the DCI, Anan Salah Abdel Fattah Salama who is an Egyptian purportedly business lady was arrested on November 22, 2023 after being suspected of defrauding a Nairobi businessman of USD 130,000 for the Importation of brown sugar from Egypt.
She is alleged to have defrauded Samuel Kairu Njonde, a Nairobi businessman, the said money by falsely pretending she would import sugar from Egypt.
The DCI asked Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe at Milimani Law Courts to allow them to detain the lady for ten days to conclude investigations.
However, Advocate Danstan Omari for the defense objected to the 10-day detention application saying the number of days being sought is unreasonable.
“We would like to oppose this application based on the grounds the reasons given by the prosecution in seeking to detain the respondent are not sufficient. The ODPP has confirmed that the respondent was found in a hotel and therefore that does not make her a flight risk, the reason for detention does not need 10 days, it is my humble submission that you enter the respondent into bail based on her age and health issues, she is an old lady and she can get Kenyan sureties to stand for her.” Submitted Omari.
According to the suspect, the case is a commercial dispute where the state wants to use the police to settle business contract problems.
In the ruling, the Magistrate said he did not find the case that the suspected offenses that are proposed for investigation are fairly complex and that it was his opinion that it can be concluded within reasonable dispatch.
“I will give the prosecution instead of the proposed ten days I’ll give them 3 working days. This case will be mentioned on November 28 for directions,” ruled the magistrate.
