Nyama Mama owner given two weeks to present herself in court in Sh500million fraud case

A co-director of a popular Nairobi restaurant accused of fradulently obtaining more than Sh500 million from Victoria Commercial Bank has been given two weeks to present herself in court.

This is after a Nairobi court declined to lift a warrant of arrest against Nina Shanghavi Jayesh for failing to appear before the court for plea taking.

Magistrate Wandia Nyamu heard that Nina is out of the country.

“She should present herself in court or have her photo circulated in national newspapers,” the magistrate directed.

This is after the lender had applied before senior principal magistrate Zainab Abdul to be allowed to run a missing person advert of Nina in local dailies.

Nina was to plead to a case where she is charged alongside Jayesh Umedlal who already pleaded to the charges.

Her lawyer told the court that it was not her wish to involve the court in a long process through her absence in court.

He said by the time the detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation went to get Nina from her home, she had already left.

The lawyer said she will appear in court after two weeks and sought to have the arrest warrant lifted.

However, the prosecution opposed the application for the lifting of the warrant saying Nina’s location remained unknown.

The prosecution urged the court to decline the application until the whereabouts of the second accused is established.

The prosecution said nothing had been availed in court as proof that Nina was out of the country and expected to be back in two weeks.

The complainant wanted the court to summon the Investigating Officer to shed light about the whereabouts of the second accused.

Nina’s co-accused, Jayesh, was present in court and requested for his passport to travel to Dubai for business purposes.

The prosecution, however, successfully opposed the application and was directed to appear in court for ruling on the matter on December 14, 2021.

Jayesh, who is believed to be the owner of various restaurants, bars and shopping malls in Nairobi was jointly charged with others not before court with intent to defraud Victoria Commercial Bank Limited.

The court heard that the accused persons wanted the bank to execute a first legal charge over Crystal Edge Apartment Number B2 erected on Land in Nairobi  to secure Sh520,000,000 as a valuable security.

He allegedly committed the offence on varied dates between December 10, 2018 and November 2020 in Nairobi.

Jayesh, who is said to be Nina’s husband, are both directors of Good Earth Group.

Jayesh is also believed to be the owner of Yao, Blue Door Bar and Nyama Mama restaurants.