Warrant of arrest issued against businessman Van Houten for skipping court session

Van Houten was to appear before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina to answer to one count of obtaining money by false pretence. 

According to the charge sheet Houten is alleged to have obtained over Ksh.7 million by falsely pretending that he was in a position to approve and construct a Java hotel to Awil Abdirahman Adulle, a fact he knew to be false.

It is alleged that he committed the offence between October 1, 2021 and January 31, 2022 in Nairobi County.

The matter will be mentioned on April 17, 2024. 

Last week, the court was told that Houten failed to appear in court because he was sick and the doctor had recommended him to have a bed rest for five days. 

However, when the matter was called out today his lawyer failed to explain to the court the whereabouts of the suspect, a move that prompt the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to seek a warrant of arrest against the suspect.