The trial case of an artist accused of defrauding former gospel musician Kevin i Kioko, popularly known as Bahati, of Sh2 million commenced on Tuesday at Milimani court.
Bahati, who is the key witness, was testifying against Peter Blessing aka Peter Mwanyalo who is accused of conning him out of Sh2million by false pretences after he left the EMB record label.
Bahati told senior principal magistrate Benard Ochoi that Blessing knelt in front of his car requesting him to help him boost his music career in July last year.
Bahati said Blessing had been trying to see him for close to eight months without much success.
“My workers told me that there was a young man who had been coming to my office for the last eight months to see me,” he testified.
The entertainer who was being led in his evidence in chief by State Counsel James Gachoka, recounted how a desperate Blessing went down on his knees at Membley Estate in Ruiru in his office.
He accused Blessing of signing a contract in 2019 to be nurtured musically by EMB records and promised to have all returns go to EMB records Studios, a promise he allegedly did not honour.
“He knelt In front of my car and asked me to help me boost his music career. He told me he could sing and asked for my support. After which I would recoup my investments from his performances and music sales,” he testified.
The court heard Bahati used to pay the struggling artist’s rent of Sh4,000, buy his clothes and food.
“I used to pay his rent, bought his clothes and even the food that he ate, I paid for it,” he said.
He added that after he took him on his EMB record label, Blessing took off and started attending shows without his knowledge.
“He has been earning through performances and getting other benefits from the music we recorded for him without our knowledge, this has caused us losses because we are yet to recover our expenditures on him,” said Bahati.
Lawrence Munyao, Bahati’s manager testified that EMB studios records used the Sh2,039,000 on Blessing hoping it would be recovered when he becomes his own brand but he left unceremoniously.
Munyao told the court that they only learnt on blogs and from the media of the Blessing’s announcement that he left EMB and was now an independent.
Blessing was charged that between July 4, 2019 and January 5, 2020 at EMB records Studios in Nairobi county, with intent to defraud obtained Sh2,039,00 from Kevin Kioko aka Bahati by falsely pretending he was able to produce music videos with the said EMB records, a fact he knew to be false.
The case was adjourned until February 24, 2021
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