This archive report was first published on 7 January 2020.
On Monday, Pastor Fredrick Nzioka Munyao, 40, of Sanctuary of Love Church, appeared before Makadara Law Courts Chief Magistrate Heston Nyaga, charged with obtaining Sh 600,000 by false pretences from gospel musician Justus Myelo.
The alleged scam occurred between October 2018 and February 2019, when Munyao promised Myelo a parcel of land in Githunguri-Utawala, Nairobi, for Sh 1 million.
According to the charges, Munyao received the cash on diverse dates between October 2018 and February 2019 by falsely pretending he was in a position to sell Myelo the plot.
However, Munyao denied the charges, claiming that Myelo had transferred the cash to his bank account at Equity Bank after they agreed on Sh 1 million for the property.
Munyao alleged that Myelo failed to complete the payment and cut off communication with him until much later, after which he rescinded the decision to sell the land.
The dispute between the two friends started after Myelo transferred the money to Munyao’s bank account and failed to send the remaining Sh 400,000.
Munyao claimed he tried calling Myelo, who claimed to be in Mombasa shooting a music video.
He later told Myelo that he was no longer selling the plot as he had donated it to the church.
The accused was freed on a cash bail of Sh 200,000. The hearing of the case is set to start on April 23, 2020.
