More charges for man in fake magistrate case

Victor Kiprono Ng'eno before Kericho Senior Magistrate Elvis Makori on Monday. He is accused of defrauding litigants and job seekers. [Nikko Tanui, Standard]

A man impersonated a judicial officer and received Sh181,000, a court in Kericho heard.

The prosecution claims that between December last year and April 16 this year, Victor Kiprono Ng’eno presented himself to Emmy Jelang’at Kiprotich as Bernard Rugut, a magistrate at the Kericho Law Courts.

Ng’eno, who appeared before Kericho Senior Principal Magistrate Elvis Makori on Monday, denied four counts related to fraud and forgery.

The prosecution claims the suspect pretended to the complainants that he would assist her two children to be employed as court clerks.

The State has lined up five witnesses, but requested that Ng’eno be taken to the Eldoret Law Courts to answer to more fraud and impersonation charges.

The court declined his bail application and directed that he be transported to Eldoret, where a case filed this year had been opened.

“Depending on the outcome, the bond in this matter ought to be held. Meanwhile, the suspect will be held at Kericho Police Station for onward transmission to Eldoret Police Station,” said Makori.

The matter would be mentioned on November 23. “Witness statements and other documents to be relied on by the prosecution to be supplied to the accused person,” Makori ruled.

Last week, Ng’eno denied eight counts of fraudulently obtaining Sh3,269,230.

He appeared alongside his wife, Mercy Chepkirui, before the Nakuru Principal Magistrate Isaac Orenge, who is to rule on their bail application.

The two denied defrauding Samuel Soi Sh1,564,230 between March 15, 2018, and December 31, 2019, by pretending they were relatives of Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter and would offer a job at the Kenya Pipeline Company.

The two further allegedly obtained Sh150,000 from Jepng’eno Kipkirui between October 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019, by promising a court clerk job.

Kiprono allegedly posed as a magistrate stationed in a Nakuru court.

They also denied obtaining Sh65,000 from James Mburu between August 10, 2018, and September 1, 2018.