Detectives in Echesa case asked to shed light
By Alphonce Mungahu Kenya, May 21, 2024
A Kibera court yesterday summoned an investigating officer to shed light in a case in which former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Mohammed Echesa has been charged with the offence of allegedly extorting Kakamega governor Fernandes Barasa over Sh240 million.
At the same time Chief magistrate Anne Mwangi issued summons for Langata DCIO also to appear in court on June 24 to shed light in the case against Echesa who is also the chairman of Kenya Water Towers Agency.
The magistrate issued the summons for the two detectives to shed light in the case before the prosecution could consolidate with that against businessman Joseph Waswa.
The first charge stated that on March 18, 2024 while at an unknown place within the country jointly with others not before court, conspired with intent to defraud by falsely accusing Barasa of kidnapping him.
The charge also accused him of demanding from Barasa a sum of Sh250 million in order to drop the accusations against the governor.
The second count read that on the same day and at an unknown place jointly with others not before court he conspired to defraud by falsely accusing the governor of kidnapping him and demanded Sh1.5 billion.
Echesa faced a third charge which indicated that between December 15 and March 18 within Kakamega and Nairobi counties, jointly with others not before court, conspired with intent to defraud by falsely pretending that he was able to give the governor a gadget he alleged to be containing inappropriate photos and video clips of him for disposal.
It is further said Echesa extorted Sh200 million from Barasa.
In count four the prosecution says that on or before December 31, 2023 in Nairobi Echesa with intent to defraud, obtained from the governor the sum of Sh10 million by falsely pretending that he was in a position to delete some alleged inappropriate photos and video clips of Barasa.