KISUMU, Kenya- A Kisumu court has convicted three family members over a fraud scheme in which Sh113.2 million belonging to Such Enterprises Limited was diverted through fictitious transactions and accounts linked to the accused.
Senior Principal Magistrate Fatuma Rashid found Christopher Joseph Okal, Grace Minayo Okal and Victor Anyumba guilty of the charges brought against them by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2026.
The case arose from the diversion of customer payments and wholesale goods from the Kisumu-based company between October 2020 and July 2021.
The DPP said an audit identified Sh113,227,529 that had not been accounted for.
Court heard of altered records and diverted payments
Christopher Okal, who worked as an accountant at Such Enterprises, was accused of using his access to the company’s accounting system to create fictitious transactions and alter records to conceal the diversion of money.
The court heard that customers were instructed to pay for goods into bank and mobile money accounts associated with Grace Okal and Anyumba, instead of the company’s official accounts.
Prosecutors said the accounts were used to receive payments and hide the trail of the money.
The prosecution called company employees, customers, bank officials, forensic examiners and investigating officers to support its case.
Forensic document examination and other evidence showed how records had been manipulated, the DPP said.
The three defendants had argued that the transactions were legitimate business arrangements.
But the court rejected their explanation, finding that the evidence pointed to a coordinated scheme to defraud Such Enterprises and conceal the proceeds.
Magistrate Rashid accepted the prosecution’s argument that Christopher Okal masterminded the scheme and used the accounts of his co-accused to receive sales proceeds. The court also found Grace Okal and Anyumba guilty of stealing and participating in money-laundering activities linked to the diverted payments.
Convictions cover fraud and money laundering
The charges included conspiracy to commit a felony under Section 393 of the Penal Code, as well as money laundering and acquisition or possession of proceeds of crime under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Christopher Okal also faced charges of stealing by servant, fraudulent false accounting and stealing under the Penal Code.
The prosecution was led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Douglas Moseti.
After weighing the prosecution’s evidence against the defence, the court found the case proved against the three and convicted them under Section 215 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The court is expected to determine the sentences on October 29.
