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A businesswoman who allegedly conned her friend of Sh306, 862 after promising her a travelling Visa to Canada was charged with obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 313 of the penal code.

At the Makadara Law Courts, Ms Beatrice Kerubo Sagwe was accused of obtaining the money from Ms Lucyline Kwamboka on diverse dates between August 23 and November 1 this year.

Ms Sagwe was allegedly falsely pretending that she was in a position to assist the complainant to acquire a travelling Visa to Canada knowing the same was untrue, jointly with others not before the court.

Ms Kwamboka met the accused person in the Gikomba market where they are both traders and the suspect told her that her daughter had secured a Visa to go to Canada for further studies.

Ms Sagwe claimed she was in a position to help Ms Kwamboka also secure a Visa to the country.

Ms Kwamboka started raising money for the same and in August, she received a call from Ms Sagwe who claimed there was a group that was about to travel to Canada and she wanted her to be part of it.

On August 23, Ms Kwamboka sent Ms Sagwe Sh24, 000 via M-Pesa for ‘registration fees’.

The next day she sent her Sh120, 600 through M-Pesa to start the process of booking interviews for the Visa card and five days later, on August 28 she sent Sh69,300 being payment for the second interview process.

Two days later Ms Kwamboka’s husband allegedly transferred Sh47,727 from his bank account to Ms Sagwe’s M-Pesa number. He later sent an additional Sh45, 235.

Ms Kwamboka did not acquire any Visa and the accused person continued taking her in circles as she followed up with the matter, prompting her to report the matter to the police.

Ms Sagwe was traced and arrested after investigations were done.

She denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Hellen Okwani.

The suspect was released on a cash bail of Sh150, 000.

The case will be mentioned on March 30 next year before the hearing starts on June 14 of the same year.