A Nairobi court has arraigned a businesswoman over an alleged fake government tender scheme that reportedly led to the loss of about Sh60 million.

The accused, Joy Kamau, appeared before the court facing multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit a felony, obtaining money by false pretenses and forgery.

She denied all charges, and the case will proceed to hearing.

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According to the prosecution, between September 4 and December 30, 2023, Wangari--together with others not before the court--allegedly conspired to defraud businessman Vijay Virma of USD 398,000 (approximately Sh60 million).

The court heard that the accused claimed she could secure a government tender, allegedly linked the deal to the Ministry of Information, Communication and Digital Economy and presented the tender as legitimate.

However, investigators say no such tender existed.

In a separate charge, Wangari is accused of forging a Request for Quotation (RFQ) document on November 1, 2023, allegedly presenting it as an official ministry document to convince the complainant to release funds.

The prosecution also told the court that Wangari has another pending case involving similar allegations under case number E257/2024, scheduled for hearing on June 25, 2024 before a different court.

The court released her on a Sh2 million bond or an alternative Sh1 million bail.