Controversial televangelist David Kariuki Ngare, popularly known as Gakuyo, will spend another night in police cells pending a decision by a Magistrate's court on whether he will be detained for four days.
Milimani Senior Resident Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo is expected to deliver a ruling on the matter at 11 am on Friday, February 23.
In the application, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) want the suspect, who was arrested yesterday, to be held for four days pending completion of investigations into theft of Ksh1 billion from members of his Ekeza Sacco.
The magistrate ordered Thika-based preacher be detained at Muthaiga Police Station until she renders her decision.
"The parties herein have made lengthy submissions for over hours and l need to consider the said submissions and render my ruling. l therefore order the suspect be detained in police custody until tomorrow 11 am," Magistrate Onsarigo ruled.
The DPP through his assistants led by Henry Kinyanjui made an application seeking to have Gakuyo held further to enable DCI detectives finalize the ongoing investigation into the matter.
"I urge the court to kindly issue an order that the respondent(Gakuyo) to continue being held at Muthaiga police station for four days to enable the DCI to conclude investigations and allow the DPP peruse the file and make appropriate recommendations for plea-taking," prosecutor Kinyanjui said.
The court heard that investigations into the matter are complex as the complainants who fell victim to Gakuyo's fraudulent investment schemes are over 50,000.
Gakuyo is alleged to have stolen over Ksh1 billion from members of Ekeza Sacco Limited, Gakuyo Real Estate, Credit Co-operative Society and Gakuyo Investment Club in a fake real estate scheme.
Investigation officer Bernard Gikandi informed the court that the Thika-based preacher is being investigated for several offences of conspiracy to commit a felony, obtaining money by false pretences and money laundering involving Ksh1 billion allegedly stolen by him and companies associated with him.
But Gakuyo, through a team of lawyers led by Ndegwa Njiru, vehemently opposed the application by the state to continue holding him further, saying he is not a flight risk and will abide by all conditions set by the court.
While urging the court to release his client of bail pending probe, Njiru stated the prosecution is not being truthful as the investigations into the matter started way back in 2019.
He added that Gakuya, who has been under investigation for over four years now, has never in any way attempted to interfere with the probe.
