The case pitting a millionaire business man and suspected President Uhuru impersonators is likely going t take another twist if what the lawyer representing the two will be a thing to go by.
Lawyer Cliff Ombeta argues that President Uhuru Kenyatta should be compelled to testify in a case involving seven men believed to have mimicked his voice and subsequently, defrauded a renowned businessman Sh10 million.
Joseph Waswa, Duncan Muchai, Isaac Wajekeche, William Simiyu, David Luganya, Gilbert Kirunja and Anthony Wafula are suspected of calling businessman Nashud Merali demanding that he facilitates the release of the Sh10 million for the purchase of a piece of land at Nairobi’s Milimani area.
In his application, Ombeta, who is defending the seven over fraud and impersonation, said the phone number purportedly used by them belonged to the president thus necessary for him to appear and testify in the case.
“If Merali received a call from someone claiming to be the President, then he must have been familiar with that voice and convinced that it was actually the President.
“It means he had the President’s number and nothing stops the prosecutor from enjoining the President in the case,” said Ombeta.
Principal Magistrate Peter Ooko turned down an application to detain the suspects for 10 days, directing that police either charge them or release them.
Police then rearrested the suspects and charged them with fraud before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi, who ruled that it was too late in the day and ordered that they be detained for another night before pleading to the charges on Wednesday.
While it is not clear how they accessed the phone number purportedly used by the Head of State, the seven successfully managed to defraud the Sameer Africa boss, in a case that could also have state officials implicated.
Police are said to be analysing their call logs to ascertain communication records even as it emerged that none of them works for a network provider company.