Kenya’s High Court has ordered a review of criminal proceedings against businessman Benson Ndeta and his co-accused Charles Hills Jnr, in a Sh4.5 billion loan fraud case involving Absa Bank.
The case, which has been ongoing for years, centers on allegations that Ndeta and Hills fraudulently obtained a $35 million credit facility from Absa Bank Kenya between February 2017 and January 2018, by presenting forged documents and misrepresenting themselves as representatives of Savannah Cement Limited.
The pair face 12 counts, including conspiracy to commit fraud, obtaining credit by false pretenses, forgery, and uttering forged documents.
The prosecution alleges that Hills procured the execution of security documentation by inducing Absa to accept papers it believed were issued by Savannah Cement, while Ndeta is accused of preparing and presenting forged records.
The High Court review is a significant development, as it places the criminal process under fresh judicial examination and could potentially delay the case further.
The accused have been fighting the charges, with Ndeta previously pursuing constitutional litigation to halt the prosecution, which was dismissed in December 2025.
