Businessman in court over ‘threatening’ Whatsapp messages
An ownership row among members of a land-buying company instigated a fallout, and exchange of threatening messages on Whatsapp, the court has heard.
James Kinyanjui Gundu narrated before Milimani resident magistrate Carolyne Muthoni Njagi how a pioneer member of the Big Lot Company, one George Gichini Mungai, sent several threatening messages to the company’s chairman Stanley Ng’ethe Kinyanjui via the messaging platform.
Gundu told the court that Kinyanjui, the proprietor of outdoor advertising firm Magnate Ventures, was one of the casualties of that fallout.
Gundu also fingered Mungai as the one who sent threatening messages to Kinyanjui.
Mungai sent the messages from his mobile phone number 0727698911.
All messages received by Kinyanjui were read to the magistrate.
Gundu further explained that Big Lot Company had bought a 120-acre parcel of land in Kitengela Kajiado County.
Big Lot had ten members and each contributed at least Sh1million each in 2012 to purchase the land which cost slightly over Sh10million.
The witness said in 2016 all members were required to sign subscriptions.
“Mwangi declined to sign for the subscriptions then members resolved to refund him his contribution of Sh1.45million,” the witness testified.
Led in his testimony by state prosecutor Winnie Moraa, Gundu said Mungai was refunded his Sh1.45m with two bankers’ cheques.
“I signed for the subscription and I was allocated (5) five acres,” Gundu stated.
Gundu was testifying in a case where Mungai has denied contravening the Cyber Crime Act through harassing the proprietor of Magnate Ventures Limited.
Mungai has denied that on November 10 2020 at an unknown place within Kenya he sent a Whatsapp message to Kinyanjui to wit,“ for now brace yourself as I claim what is mine, court battles are expensive all I need is my land otherwise I will face you like a man. Na nii ninjui no ungere ngero kwoguo nimenyithitie aria magiriire ( that translates: I know you can harm me but I have informed the relevant authorities).”
The charge concluded that the said message meant he could detrimentally affect the complainant (Kinyanjui).
The accused allegedly send another whatsapp message on December 15,2020 to Mr Kinyanjui captioned “muici na mutunyani wa migunda”(that translates, “thief and land swindler” The charge states the said message was false and likely to discredit the reputation of Mr Kinyanjui.
The court was taken through other messages which were discrediting the reputation of the entrepreneur.
The accused has denied the charges and is out on bond.