UGANDA tycoon Michael Ezra Mulyowa has been freed by a Kenyan court after he paid a Ks4m (about sh116m) cash bail. Ezra, who was last week charged before Makadara Court for issuing a bad cheque of Ksh16m to a local company, SMR Ltd, re-appeared before chief magistrate Martin Muya yesterday and applied for bail.
Ezra’s lawyer Christopher Kenyariri told the court that: “Ezra is a man of integrity since he presented himself before the investigation officers. Therefore, he should be allowed a reasonable cash bail in accordance with the new constitution. It’s a bailable offence, the case can be heard when he is out,” Kenyariri argued.
Kenyariri told court that his client Ezra is an international businessman dealing in real estate and other business in Kenya. “My client has property in Nyari within Nairobi, where he presented himself before authorities for arrest. He also has properties in Karen,” he said. Ezra’s wife, Grace Mulyoowa expressed relief upon her husband’s release. “The whole experience has been tough and memorable,” she said.
The hearing of the case was fixed for May 10, but Ezra will have to re-appear before court on March 7.
Last week, Ezra was charged and remanded after he denied charges of issuing a false cheque.
Court was told that Ezra on October 20, 2009, at Ecobank on Muindi Mbingu Street, issued a false cheque of $200,000 to SMR Limited, knowing he had insufficient funds in his bank account.
Ezra is also wanted in Uganda over charges relating to fraud and issuing false cheques.
He allegedly issued a false cheque worth $550,000 (about sh1.15b) to a software engineer.
Ezra had eluded arrest for sometime. Late last year, he sneaked out of Uganda, but was arrested in Kenya last week.
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