Shrewd businessman Kirimi Koome was at pains to explain to court how StayOnline Ltd a company he claims to be his is operated.
In the case, Koome has laid claim on StayOnline Ltd a company founded by Rwandese investor Desire Muhinyuza claiming it’s his company and he is the brains behind it.
However, when put to task by Desire’s lawyer Danstan Omari, Koome couldn’t explain how the company is run or even its day to day operations.
Koome told Justice Alfred Mabeya that it’s an online payment company but when probed further to explain how he operates it he could not.
Koome who claims he was the sole brains behind the company could also not explain how Desire came into the company.
He told court that Desire was hired as an independent contractor but when asked to produce the letter of appointment or contract he couldn’t.
Koome was also cornered by Omari who asked him to explain to court when he conceptualized the idea to open StayOnline to which he said he came up with it 30 years ago but registered it days after meeting Desire.
Koome could not also explain where money in the company he claims belongs to him was sent from and if he sent any money to the said account.
He also failed to explain why as the CEO of the company he wrote a letter addressed to the company asking for money to be released to his personal account.
He could not explain how he spent the money he claimed was for operations and running costs saying it was for paying CEO but he didn’t have the payslip or transaction showing him paying the salary.
Koome who claimed he has a degree in business from a US university could also not explain why his name was not among the list of graduates from the school only saying his name was omitted because of data protection issues.
He also said that his company did not have a Website but when Omari showed him a live website Page of stayonline, he could not explain.
Koome was also at pains to explain how there are other Stayonline branches in Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia that are operational with his name.
Interestingly, Koome said he was introduced to Desire to be his independent contractor but in a document he read to court, a lawyer says they both went to her with the aim of opening a company.
The understanding was he was to register a company following a resolution from Stayonline Rwanda due to Desires immigration status.
However, after registration Koome started blackmailing Desire and a total of 120,000 USD was sent to his personal account from Stayonline accounts at UBA bank.
