A Makadara court has granted the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) request to deny bond to online influencer Pascaline Peter, also known as Passy Ma Trevor, and George Mutua Mutunga, also known as Imran.
The two are facing charges of obtaining money by false pretenses.
Principal Magistrate Erick Mutunga ruled that the prosecution, represented by Counsel Kaaria Joy Kawira, had provided sufficient evidence to justify the denial of bond.
“The purpose of bail is to ensure the accused person’s attendance during trial, I have gone through the charges before this court and have put into consideration the applications of the investigating officer and that of the learned counsel in the matter, and I find that the accused persons if released on bond they may have no motivation of attending court” ruled Mutunga.
The judge argued that he had also considered the security of the accused as well as their possibility of interfering with the case if released before he made the ruling.
However, he ruled that the case be heard on a priority basis and the two will remain in remand until its hearing on January 15, 2025.
The two were on November 7 charged with the offense of obtaining Ksh80 million from the public.
They are accused of using Passy Ma Trevor’s online influence to defraud unsuspecting Kenyans of their money pretending their purported investments would make a monthly return of up to 23.5 per cent.
Other charges they are facing are; conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 317 of the penal code, and carrying out business as a collective investment scheme without a valid license issued by the Capital Markets Authority or Central Bank of Kenya.
The offences were allegedly committed on diverse dates between March 3, 2023, and August 30, 2024.
On September 12, Passy Ma Trevor was apprehended by Kasarani Police detectives after being on the run following a police report by her victims who suspected they had been swindled.
Before her infamous arrest, she was known for consistently flaunting a lavish lifestyle online while her victims were left wondering about the fate of their financial investments.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE