A Kenyan businessman who is wanted in Rwanda to serve a five-year jail term for defrauding a bank got a reprieve on Monday after the court granted him a Sh1 million bond.
Nathan Loyd Ndungu, also an American citizen, has been in custody for over a week.
The state sought to detain him for 21 days as they wait for the extradition request from Rwanda.
He was arrested as he jetted back into the country from the US.
According to court documents, Rwanda had issued a red alert against him 10 years ago, in February 2012 after he was tried, convicted and sentenced in absentia.
“Rwandan court convicted him in absentia for selling property belonging to another person coupled with fraud as well as deceit and sentenced him to 5 years’ imprisonment,” reads court papers.
However, Senior Principal Magistrate Benard Ochoi ruled that there were no compelling reasons to deny Ndungu bond.
The court noted that the red alert notice from Rwanda had been there for 10 years and asked if the state was aware of the said red alert.
Ochoi directed him to deposit a Sh1 million bond and a surety of the same amount pending the filing of the extradition request.
He was ordered to surrender his passport and travel documents in court until the matter is determined.
He was directed to report to the police twice a week as he awaits the extradition.
The court also declined an application by Ndungu’s lawyer Danstan Omari to review the bond terms and instead grant them an alternative of cash bail. BY THE STAR