G4S man ‘gave Sh83m to stranger’

Photo/FILE Police officers guard a G4S vehicle.

By RICHARD MUNGUTI rmunguti@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Monday, July 4 2011 at 17:40

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A security company employee allegedly handed over Sh83 million to a complete stranger, a court heard on Monday.

The money belonging to Barclays Bank of Kenya Limited had been transported from Kisumu by a senior worker of G4S Security Services Company, Mr Julius Maguncho Bagaka, last May.

An administration assistant with G4S, Mrs Joyce Khalifa Lutoma, told Makadara chief magistrate Mr Martin Muya that head office was shocked to learn that the money disappeared with a person who was “unknown to Bagaka at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.”

“I made arrangements to purchase an air ticket for Mr Bagaka. He was one of the senior employees of G4S based in Kisumu. When I bought the ticket, the information was passed on to the Kisumu office,” she told the court.

Mrs Lutoma told the magistrate Mr Bagaka’s flight from Kisumu was delayed because Kenya Airways staff were on strike, disrupting schedules.

He eventually travelled on May 31, 2010, the magistrate was told. Mr Moses Jumba Otiende, a G4S crew commander, told the court that he and eight other people collected the cash from Barclays Bank’s Kisumu branch.

“The parcel was in two wooden boxes and was expected in Nairobi. I signed for it at the bank and put four G4S seals on the boxes,” Mr Otiende testified.

“I then invoiced the bank’s cashier and we left for our offices with the boxes where we picked up Mr Bagaka and headed for Kisumu Airport,” Mr Otiende told the court.

“At the airport, the normal security checks were conducted. We kept Mr Bagaka company until the Kenya Airways plane left for Nairobi,” he said.

“I called the Nairobi office and told them Mr Bagaka was airborne,” Mr Otiende recalled. Mr Bagaka has denied charges of stealing Sh83 million at JKIA on May 31, 2010.

He is accused of committing the crime jointly with others not before the court.

The case was adjourned to August 9, 2011 when the prosecution will lead testimony from the investigating officer and a senior employee of the security company.

Mr Bagaka is out of custody on a Sh3 million bond.