Nairobi 7 August – The former managing Director of Triton Petroleum Company Limited, Yagnesh Devani has been charged of 2008 Triton oil fraud at Milimani Anti-Corruption court after being extradited from the United Kingdom.
According to the ODPP, Devani had sought asylum in the UK for 16 years. However, he is alleged to have defrauded the mortgagors, Emirates National Oil Company Limited.
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Further, he is accused of selling Diesel valued at Ks32 million to total Kenya limited without consent of the Emirates national oil.
In addition, Yagnesh Devani faces other charges including fraudulent disposition of mortgaged goods, eight counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of obtaining by false pretense.
Consequently, the court said that the accused had committed the offences along others between September 5, 2008 and December 8, 2008.
The prosecution, led by Jeremiah Walusala, Linda Otieno, Vincent Cheruiyot, and Phylis Kibaba, opposed the release of the accused person on bond arguing that he is a flight risk.
In their application to oppose bond, the prosecution urged the court to consider the accused’s previous second of escaping to the UK after committing the offense.
They also informed the court that despite extradition efforts by EACC, DCI, and ODPP, the accused challenged the process in a UK court.
“It was only through bilateral cooperation between Kenya and the UK that the accused was eventually extradited and charged,” ODPP stated.
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The prosecution further pointed out that granting bond could lead to the accused seeking asylum in a country without bilateral cooperation with Kenya, making it difficult to proceed with the case.
“The accused person denied all the charges before Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioka. The Court directed that the accused person be detained at the Industrial Area Prison while awaiting the court’s decision on whether to grant bond to be delivered on August 19, 2024,” read part of the ODPP statement.
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