Eight new pyramid scheme suspect

By Wahome Thuku

Police have filed eight more fraud charges against the director of a collapsed pyramid scheme.

Mr Gideon Mwiti Irea the director of the Kenya Akiba Micro-Finance, and later Kenya Business Community Sacco, now faces more than 20 charges of defrauding people millions of shillings.

The eight charges were additional to four others filed against him in October.

In the 12 counts, he is accused of having obtained more than Sh14.2 million from the victims pretending that he could offer 16 per cent interest on their deposits within 30 days.

The offences were allegedly committed on various days between January and June 2007, at View Park Towers, Nairobi.

Mwiti who was out of Sh3 million cash bail was ordered to top up another Sh1 million to secure his freedom. In a different court, Mr Alfred Kithinji Rintaugu was charged with defrauding a doctor and a pilot of more than Sh6 million.

Kithinji was accused of obtaining Sh5.4 million from Dr Josphat Gikundi of Kenyatta National Hospital and Sh1.3 million from the pilot Martin Mutuma Muriuki pretending he could invest the money for them.

He faced a third count of fraudulently obtaining Sh1.2 million from Kris Kimathi Mbaya. The offences were allegedly committed at Windsor House, Nairobi, between January last year and last month.

Kithinji was released on Sh500,000 cash bail. Hearing is set for January.

next year.