Businessman Brian Kipruto charged over alleged Sh11.4 million fraud

Businessman Brian Kipruto Koech has been charged with allegedly defrauding Abdalla Faraj Abdalla of Sh11.4 million in a cereals business deal and laundering the funds.

Koech appeared before the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday, where he denied three charges, including obtaining money by false pretences and two counts related to the acquisition and use of proceeds of crime.

The court released him on a cash bail of Sh3 million or two sureties of a similar amount.

According to the prosecution, Koech allegedly committed the offences between January 29 and March 17, 2026, in Nairobi County, jointly with other individuals who have not been brought before the court.

The first charge alleges that Koech obtained Sh11,408,000 from Abdalla by falsely claiming he could purchase cereals, sell them on his behalf, and return the profits, while knowing that the representation was false.

The offence of obtaining money by false pretences is contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code.

In the second count, Koech is accused of acquiring proceeds of crime, contrary to Section 4(a), as read with Section 16(1)(a) of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2009.

The charge sheet alleges that he received Sh11,408,000 from Abdalla through his Absa Bank account on various dates between January 29 and March 17, 2026, despite knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the money was proceeds of crime.

Koech also faces a third charge of using proceeds of crime, contrary to Section 4(b), as read with Section 16(1)(a) of the same law.

The prosecution alleges that he used the Sh11,408,000 held in his Absa Bank account on various dates between January 17 and March 17, 2026, knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the funds constituted proceeds of crime.

The charges relate to the alleged handling of the funds in Nairobi County.

Koech has denied all the charges, and the allegations remain subject to determination by the court.