In a dramatic turn of events, Hesbon Onyango Nyamweya, currently serving a sentence at Kamiti Maximum Prison, is at the center of a major fraud case involving Sh 7.6 million.
The case, brought by the DPP at Milimani Law Court, reveals a complex scheme where Nyamweya, despite being behind bars, orchestrated a fraud that implicated his mother, Pamela Akinyi Wara.
The fraud case involves Nyamweya convincing Purity Karambu Laird that he could sell her land.
The scam, which took place between May and September 2020, saw Nyamweya allegedly receiving and transferring funds to his elderly mother, Akinyi, who is now facing charges for handling stolen money and conspiring in the fraud.
The stolen funds were reportedly used by Akinyi to purchase prime properties in Nairobi and Migori County.
The prosecution’s case suggests that Nyamweya, using prison networks and communication tools, managed to facilitate the fraud from within the highly secured prison environment.
Akinyi, who appeared in court on August 23, 2024, has been charged with receiving stolen funds and is accused of conspiring with her son.
Despite the serious nature of the charges, Akinyi has pleaded not guilty and claims she was misled by Nyamweya about the origin of the money.
Magistrate Shitubi, recognizing the gravity of the charges, has granted Akinyi bail set at Sh 2 million.
Meanwhile, Nyamweya is set to be brought to court on September 5, 2024, to face charges related to the fraudulent scheme.
The case highlights potential vulnerabilities in prison security and the challenges in preventing criminal activities from within the prison system.
