Courts
Ex-KUSCCO MD George Ototo to spend night in police custody after surrendering to court
Ototo's lawyer told the court that they learned about the plea taking through social media and took initiative to appear in court before the set date in compliance with the summons
Former Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (KUSCCO) Managing Director George Otieno Ototo presented himself in court for plea taking in a case in which he is charged with Ksh 82 million fraud alongside four others.
Accompanied by his lawyer Apollo Mboya, Ototo presented himself before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego.
The court had issued summons to appear against him last week when his co-accused, former chairman George Magutu, former Finance Manager George Owino, former employee Mercy Muthoni Njeru and lawyer Jackline Pauline Atieno Omolo denied charges ofstealing, money laundering, making of false documents in a Ksh 82, 826, 000 land deal.
Ototo’s lawyer told the court that they learned about the plea taking through social media and took initiative to appear in court before the set date in compliance with the summons. He was scheduled to appear tomorrow.
“Your honour, we appear before this court to honour and comply with the summons issued last week though we have not received them yet,” Mboya submitted.
The magistrate accepted their submissions.
“I have noted that the suspect has appeared before the court after the summons were issued requiring him to appear on Tuesday for plea taking and since the purpose of the summons were for the accused to take plea the prosecution will continue to charge him,” Alego stated.
Ototo, jointly with others, was charged that on diverse dates between October 2020 and April 2022, jointly with others who were not before the court conspired to steal by diverting money totaling Ksh 82,826,000 property of KUSCCO meant for purchase of land LR23269/35 at Nairobi within the republic of Kenya.
He was also charged with money laundering contrary to Section (3)(b) (i)as read with Section 16 of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act.
He is alleged to have jointly entered into agreement for sale of the land in order to conceal the nature and source of the money in the accounts held at Kenya Commercial Bank KCB and M Oriental Bank under the account name of Jackline P.A Omolo & Advocates whilst having reasons to believe that the monies were proceeds of crime.
In another charge, jointly with others already in court, Ototo was accused of stealing by directors and officers of the company and making of false documents which is against the law.
Further, jointly with others, he is accused of making and uttering an agreement for sale of the land LR 23269/35 to make it appear authentic a fact which was false.
He denied the charges levelled against him.
His lawyer asked the magistrate to consider releasing him on bail or bond considering he presented himself voluntarily before the court.
“I pray the court to grant my client lenient terms since he is a Kenyan with known place of abode,” he told the court.
Alego ordered him to be detained in Muthaiga Police Station until tomorrow when his bond terms ruling jointly with his co accused will be determined.
