A suspect charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and forgery was this week arraigned in court.
Reagan Odhiambo Okello, a Kenyan citizen, appeared in the Milimani Law Courts on October 15, 2024, where the prosecution formally laid out the accusations against him.
The case stems from a series of events that unfolded between August 2022 and October 2023, which Okello is alleged to have conspired with others to defraud significant sums of money through fraudulent documents.
The charges focus on an elaborate scheme designed to deceive a business and a government ministry, with the intent of illegally obtaining USD 400,000, equivalent to approximately Ksh 50 million.
The first count Okello faces is the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony.
This charge alleges that between August 25, 2022, and January 22, 2024, Okello conspired with unnamed accomplices to steal USD 400,000.
According to the prosecution, this conspiracy involved deceiving Cohen Oshry, a business associate, by falsely claiming the ability to secure a lucrative tender.
The tender involved the supply, delivery, installation, testing, and commissioning of a GSM offensive system for the Ministry of Defense, as specified in the Request for Proposals (RFP) Reference Number MOD/SDM/CS/01/2023-2024.
The prosecution contends that Okello knowingly made false representations about the legitimacy of this tender and used these misrepresentations to facilitate the theft.
The case hinges on Okello’s alleged intent to defraud, and the prosecution is expected to present evidence that will demonstrate how the suspect and his accomplices conspired to commit this crime over the span of nearly two years.
The second charge against Okello involves forgery, specifically making a false document.
On March 13, 2023, Okello is alleged to have forged a cybersecurity project commitment letter bearing the reference number DHQ/CYBER/785/1DM.
This document was presented to ISKY Holdings Limited, a company with whom Okello had dealings, and falsely purported to be a genuine issuance from the Ministry of Defense of the Kenyan Government.
The prosecution claims that Okello intended to use this forged document to defraud ISKY Holdings Limited of USD 400,000, an amount slightly higher than the previously mentioned figure, approximately Ksh 62 million.
The alleged plan was to convince the company that the Ministry of Defense had committed to a cybersecurity project, and by doing so, Okello hoped to secure a substantial payment from ISKY Holdings Limited under false pretenses.
A third count of forgery was also laid against Okello, involving yet another fraudulent document dated October 17, 2023.
This document, identified as Service Level Agreement contract number MOD00322023, outlined terms for the same GSM cyber offense system.
However, this contract was also forged, falsely representing itself as a legitimate agreement between the Ministry of Defense and ISKY Holdings Limited.
The prosecution’s case asserts that Okello, in collusion with others, sought to use this fraudulent contract to deceive ISKY Holdings Limited once again.
The intent, as the prosecution argues, was to fraudulently acquire another payment of USD 400,000.Following his arrest on October 15, 2024, Okello remains in custody as the case proceeds.
The court has set the next hearing for October 22, 2024, at which point additional evidence and witness testimonies are expected to be presented.
This adjournment will give the defense team more time to prepare their case, as well as allow the prosecution to bring forward key witnesses who can provide insights into the alleged conspiracy and forgery.
As the legal process unhe case against Okello continues to capture public attention due to the high-profile nature of the entities involved, including a government ministry and a private corporation. The charges, which carry severe penalties if proven, highlight the extent to which fraudulent schemes can penetrate different sectors of society.
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