NAIROBI, Kenya — Political analyst Herman Manyora has been charged with cheating in an alleged Sh516,000 tender scheme linked to Nairobi Hospital, in a case that prosecutors say involved false promises to secure a construction contract.
Manyora appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Paul Mutai at the Milimani Law Courts, where he denied the charge of cheating contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code.
The prosecution told the court the offence allegedly occurred between August 15 and October 30, 2024, within Nairobi County.
According to court documents, Manyora is accused of obtaining Sh516,000 from Josephine Luceno Kavulani by allegedly claiming he would help her company, Sipho Construction Limited, secure Tender No. TNH/ITB/016/24/ENGINEERING at Nairobi Hospital.
Prosecutors said the complainant parted with the money after being persuaded that the accused had the capacity to influence the award of the tender.
The prosecution argued that the payment was made based on an alleged misrepresentation. Investigators contend the complainant would not have released the funds had she known the claims were false.
The charge of cheating under Section 315 of the Penal Code relates to obtaining property or money through deception.
Through his lawyers, Danstan Omari and Senior Counsel Nelson Havi, Manyora applied to be released on bond pending trial. The defence argued that the analyst is not a flight risk and had complied with the summons issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations during the probe.
They also told the court that Manyora had previously cooperated with investigators and had no intention of interfering with witnesses.
The defence urged the court to grant reasonable bond terms to allow him to continue with his professional and personal obligations.
The prosecution did not oppose the application and instead left the bond terms to the discretion of the court.
In his ruling, Magistrate Mutai noted that the accused had earlier been released on a personal bond by the police and had complied with those conditions.
“I have considered the application and note the prosecution is not opposed. The accused has previously complied with bond terms,” the magistrate ruled.
The court released Manyora on a personal bond of Sh2 million, with two contact persons required to guarantee his attendance.
The magistrate directed that the case be mentioned on April 13, 2026, for further directions on pre-trial procedures.
The matter will proceed to the pre-trial stage, where the prosecution is expected to disclose evidence, including witness statements and documentary material related to the alleged tender arrangement.
The court will then determine hearing dates as the case moves to full trial.
