Nakuru tycoon testifies in Sh21 million fraud case

A Nakuru court has heard that the director of a private company in Nakuru went into hiding in Kampala, Uganda and later to United Kingdom, a week after the brutal murder of Asian businessman Jayantilal Shamji and his wife.

Nakuru Chief Magistrate Samuel Mungai heard that Londra Ltd director, Kantilal Shah, a brother to the late Shamji went into hiding after he received information that a team of detectives had been sent from Nairobi to Nakuru.

Shah said he received a text message from one James Okute on October 17, a week after his brother and sister-in-law were shot and killed at their house in Menengai, Nakuru town.

He told the court that the text said: "Morning Sir we need the two million urgently by 11am. The lawyer is worried because it is confirmed that a team of detectives was dispatched to Nakuru last night to track you down," read the message in part.

Shah was testifying in a fraud case where Okute is jointly accused with Austin Oduor Okello 'alias' Gordon of conspiring to defraud him of more than Sh21million by pretending they can assist him get cleared by police over murder related allegations.

"After I received the text message, my son advised me to leave Nakuru and go to Kampala to avoid any problems," Shah said during cross examination by the accused's Lawyer Kanyi Ngure.

He, however, told court that he was not afraid of the police since he knew that he was innocent of any crime.

"I understood Okute's message to be threatening rather than cautionary," he said in response to the counsel's question.

Shah also told court that he did not record any statement after the murder of his brother neither is he aware if anyone has been held liable for the murder.

The case will continue on November 6.