This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On August 20, 2019, three employees of Mitchell Cotts Company were charged with attempting to defraud the company through forgery.
The suspects, Philemon Kimutai, Edna Mwikali, and Caroline Akinyi, allegedly forged letters to facilitate the fraudulent delivery of a shipment allegedly placed by Homa Bay County government.
The suspects' plan involved executing their scheme through letters purportedly originating from Homa Bay County government.
One of the alleged forged letters, dated April 18, 2018, bore a signature allegedly from Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti, authorizing Mitchell Cotts Freight Limited to process the delivery order of a shipment.
Another letter, dated March 28, 2017, signed on behalf of Governor Awiti, referred to the loss of two containers used to supply a consignment to the county government and requested Ocean Freight EA Company to meet the value of the lost containers.
The fraudulent letters led to the detention of three vehicles purchased by Homa Bay County Government, including two fire engines and an ambulance, worth Ksh 150 million at the Mitchell Cotts Freight yard.
Appearing before Mombasa Principal Magistrate Edgar Kagoni, the suspects denied all three counts and were released on a cash bail of Ksh 50,000 each.
