Witnesses testify in Sh320million DoD foodstuffs fraud case involving Francis Mureithi
After five years since the Sh320million fraud case was filed in court against city politician Francis Mureithi Wambugu and Francis Mwaura by Haile Menkerios, a retired United Nations (UN) diplomat that he would help him secure a tender at the Department of Defence (DoD) headquarters for the supply of foodstuff, today, two witnesses took to the witness stand to give their testimony before Milimani Magistrate Robinson Ondieki.
While making her submissions, Abbay Abeba informed the court that the two accused persons introduced themselves to her as directors of a company and duped her over USD 200,000.
She said she gave them over 200,000 USD both in cash and bank transfers and they never returned back.
They both signed the deal and they were introduced to her by a man named Hussein Osman.
“I have an evidence of bank statements and documents they signed but I left them when required I will bring them, “added Abbay.
She said she gave them lots of money which she sent through her lawyer for a supply of Seramix to the Ministry of Defence which never happened.
Testifying in the case, Julius Rotich, an advocate of the High Court submitted to the court that on July 28, 2020, he received a phone call from the DCI officers from Parklands on July 27, 2020.
“…where I presented myself on the 28, 2020 where I was shown a memorandum of understanding that I had drafted in my capacity as an advocate of the High Court having been instructed by one Francis Mwaura,” he said.
Lawyer Rotich told the court that he was shown four MoUs by the detectives between Doc Find Limited while another showed Doc Find Limited and Wina Trading Limited.
“The memorandum of understanding was for the supply of foodstuffs at the Department of Defence. So when I received those instructions, the impression was made to me that Doc Find Limited had been awarded a contract for the supply of foodstuffs and so the memorandum was dated April 27, 2026,” lawyer Rotich told the court.
As a result, Mureithi, through his then company Doc Find Ltd, together with other proxy companies obtained a total of Sh320million.
The other companies have been identified as Wina Trading Ltd, New Research Path Company, Hammond Agencies and Sembel Trading.
The money was wired to the companies’ accounts on diverse dates between April 29 and November 3, 2016, by Menkerios who is a retired Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UN office of the Africa Union in Addis Ababa.
Hearing of the case will resume next week for three consecutive days running from December 15, 16 and 17, 2025.
