A trial case pitting gospel musician Peter Blessing Mwanyalo against Kevin Mbuvi Kioko aka Bahati kicked off on Tuesday at the Milimani law court.
Blessing is accused of obtaining Sh2, 039, 000 from Bahati under false pretenses. Earlier this year, Peter Blessing was charged that on July 4, 2019, and January 5, 2020, at EMB records studios in Nairobi, he obtained the amount with intent to defraud by pretending that he was able to produce music videos with the said EMB.
On Tuesday, Bahati and his manager Lawrence Munyao alias Weezdom testified against Peter before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi.
Bahati on his part told the court that Blessing knelt in front of his car requesting him to help him boost his music career in July last year. The EMB records founder said Blessing had been trying to see him for close to eight months without much success.
Blessing reportedly signed a contract in 2019 to be nurtured musically by his EMB and promised to have all returns go to the stable, a deal he allegedly failed to honor.
“He knelt In front of my car and asked me to help him 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,” Bahati testified.
According to the singer, he used to pay Blessing’s rent of Sh4,000, buy him clothes and food.
Bahati testified that after taking care of all music and basic needs of the accused person, Blessing defied their contract by leaving EMB Records illegally.
“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.
Weezdom on the other hand told magistrate Ochoi that they only learnt on blogs and from the media that Peter Blessing had left EMB.
The case was adjourned to February 24, 2021, when an investigation officer will testify before the prosecution closes its case.
