Man charged with defrauding Senior Magistrate Bildad Ochieng in Lexus deal

A man was today charged before Mombasa Law Courts with defrauding Nakuru Chief Magistrate Bildad Ochieng over Sh1.1 million.

Ernest Makori Mogere was charged with obtaining money by the false pretence that he was in a position to import a Lexus RX270.

He denied obtaining $11,250 from Bildad Ochieng on 21 August 2021 within Mombasa Central Business District.

Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku released the accused on a bond of Sh500,000 with one surety and an alternative of cash bail of Sh400,000.

“The accused person shall be released upon executing a bond of Sh500,000 with one surety or a cash bail of Sh400,000,” said Mutuku.

State prosecutor Mrs Alice Mburu told the court that Mogere had been hiding since August 2021 and that he was a flight risk.

She asked the court to enforce strict bail terms on the accused.

“The accused has been hiding since August. We beseech the court to enforce strict bond terms because he is a flight risk,” said Mrs Mburu.

However, Mogere denied being in hiding and said that he has been trying to trace the money.

Mogere said he had been working with the magistrate’s wife to try and recover the funds.

He asked the court to issue him bail terms to allow him go and trace the money.

“I have not been hiding, I have been working with the complainant’s wife trying to get the money back. I ask for favourable bail terms to allow me to go and trace the funds,” pleaded Mogere.