Kenyan businessman Kirimi Koome who is laying claim to disputed fintech company, StayOnline Ltd on Wednesday could not explain how the company operates.

Koome who was testifying in a case where he has been sued by a Rwandese Investor Desire Muhinyunza claimed that he owned the company but did not register it himself.

He told Justice Alfred Mabeya that he instructed a city lawyer to register the company on his behalf at a fee.

“I requested a lawyer, Harry Bob since l am not an expert in registering the company. I gave my identity card, KRA PIN certificate and passport-size photo,” he told the court.

The Kenyan businessman who was being cross-examined by Desire’s lawyer Danstan Omari claimed he was the sole brains behind the company which had two staffs.

He however could not produce documentation proving he had entered into any contractual agreements with the said staff.

The Kenyan businessman 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.

Asked by Omari how he came to know the Rwandese investor, Koome said he was introduced to him by his friend who is a manager at Equity Bank Kigali, Patrick Okuba.

Kenyan businessman Karimi Koome

Koome claimed that Desire was hired as an independent contractor but when asked to produce the letter of appointment or contract he did not have one.

“I paid the independent contractor money from the company. This was done through swift transfer in Karen Nairobi to ExframeOU Kigali. An amount of USD 100 million was made on July 4, 2023,” he said.

Desire sued Koome seeking to gain control of the company revealing that the Kenyan businessman was chosen as Stay Online Limited’s agent in Kenya because of the challenges faced by a  foreigner to register a company name in the country.

The hearing continues..