A man, identified as William Simiyu Matere alias Elijah, has appeared in court at the Kibera Law Courts facing serious allegations of using threats to extort money and property from Kakamega Governor Fernandes Baraza. The court proceedings unfolded as Matere was charged with two counts of demanding more than Sh240 million from the governor.
During the court session held on Wednesday, the police requested additional time to conduct thorough investigations into the matter. Despite this request, the trial magistrate decided to grant Matere temporary freedom on a Sh2 million bond, alongside a surety of equal amount, until the case progresses further. The next mention of the case is scheduled for March 27, where the court will provide further directives.
Matere’s arrest took place on the night of Monday, March 18, following a well-planned operation by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The operation culminated in his apprehension from a prestigious hotel in Nairobi, where he had allegedly arrived to collect the agreed-upon amount from the governor.
Detectives have revealed that Matere is suspected to be involved in a broader criminal ring that orchestrated a fake kidnapping incident involving former CS Rashid Echesa. The ring demanded a staggering Sh1.5 billion as ransom for Echesa’s purported release from the supposed kidnappers.
Shockingly, investigations have uncovered that the criminal group had already received Sh5 million in ransom payments before authorities intervened and revealed the fake nature of the kidnapping scheme.
The court details were shared by blogger Nyakundi.
