Nairobi: A 32-year-old Eldoret-based jobs recruitment agent was yesterday arraigned before an Eldoret Court charged with obtaining Sh350,000 from a resident magistrate under false pretenses of securing a job abroad for her sister. Charles Onyimbo Monayo, allegedly told the magistrate he could secure a foreign job for her sister, took the cash, and disappeared.
According to Kenya News Agency, Monayo was arraigned before Eldoret Principal Magistrate Kimani Mukabi and entered a not guilty plea. Prosecutors told the court that on diverse dates between February 14 and 17, 2025, the suspect, alongside others not in court, fraudulently received Sh350,000 from Linet Lusweti in Eldoret. Monayo allegedly told the Milimani-based magistrate he had connections to secure her sister, Faith Lusweti, a job in Norway, claims the prosecutors say were fabricated.
Court records revealed that Lusweti deposited Sh240,000 into a bank account provided by the accused on February 14, 2025, as an initial payment. She was allegedly promised her sister would be flown to Norway for the said job within three weeks. Three days later, on February 17, the complainant paid a further Sh110,000 after being told that plans to secure her sister’s passage to Norway were well underway.
It is alleged that the suspect subsequently became evasive and failed to respond to calls from the judicial officer, who was seeking updates on her sister’s travel arrangements for the promised overseas job. Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers arrested Monayo on July 17. He was later booked at Eldoret Central Police Station. Officers said they tracked him down after the judicial officer reported the matter at the station early last month. Lusweti, who works in Nairobi, had to travel to Eldoret to report the matter after learning she had been duped in the fake job deal.
Monayo pleaded not guilty and urged the court to grant him lenient bond terms. ‘Your honor, kindly release me on favorable bond terms. I also request copies of witness statements and other documents,’ he pleaded before Presiding Magistrate Mukabi. The prosecution had no objection to the accused being released on bail or bond and undertook to furnish him with all documents they intend to rely on during the trial.
Three witnesses are expected to testify in the case: the judicial officer, her sister, and investigating officer, Police Constable Francis Anyanzwa of DCI Eldoret. In his ruling, Magistrate Mukabi released the accused on a bond of Sh300,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh100,000 and scheduled the mention of the case on August 25 for a pre-trial conference.
