A Nairobi businessman has been charged with unlawfully detaining his client’s passport, allegedly preventing her from traveling abroad for urgent medical treatment.
The accused, Jackson Kamau Ndegwa, appeared before Magistrate Ndombi at the Milimani Law Courts, where he denied the charges of detaining the passports of Sheila Wangari Gichuhi and her minor child, identified in court as LMW.
According to court records, Ndegwa, who operates a business at Uganda House in Nairobi, is accused of unlawfully holding the two passports and demanding USD 3,500 before releasing them.
Court Orders Passport to Be Surrendered
During the Wednesday court session, Magistrate Ndombi ordered Ndegwa to submit the passports to the court within 24 hours, following a joint application by the prosecution and the complainant’s lawyer.
“I have considered the application to have the two passports released to the complainant. I therefore order the accused to bring the said passports to court tomorrow,” ruled the magistrate.
The magistrate’s directive aims to ensure that the complainant can resume her medical travel plans, which had been delayed due to the alleged passport detention.
Allegations of Fraudulent Conduct
The prosecution alleges that Ndegwa was approached by Wangari to assist in obtaining a U.S. visa for herself and her child. He is said to have demanded USD 2,000 as a facilitation fee for the process.
Wangari reportedly handed over the two passports to Ndegwa, after which he allegedly disappeared, leaving her stranded and unable to pursue medical treatment abroad.
When efforts to trace him failed, Wangari filed a complaint, leading to Ndegwa’s arrest and subsequent arraignment.
Bail Terms and Next Hearing
Ndegwa pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a cash bail of KSh10,000. The case will be mentioned on Thursday morning (August 15, 2024), when the court is expected to confirm whether the accused has complied with the order to surrender the passports.
Broader Context
The incident has raised concern over passport-related fraud in Nairobi, where individuals posing as visa facilitators or travel consultants have been accused of exploiting unsuspecting clients.
Legal experts have urged Kenyans seeking visa services to use registered travel agents or deal directly with embassy-approved channels to avoid falling victim to such scams.