Court acquits former EMB signed artiste Peter Blessing in fraud case filed by Bahati

Court acquits former EMB artiste Peter Blessing in fraud case filed by Bahati

Brian Oruta

March 22, 2021 5:45 PM

Freedom at last

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A Nairobi Court has acquitted former EMB Records signed artiste Peter Mwanyalo a.k.a Peter Blessing in a Sh2 million fraud case leveled against him by former boss and singer Kevin Bahati.

In the ruling made on Monday, Nairobi Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi said the case was of civil nature and could not be tried in a criminal court.

He went on to acquit Blessing of all charges against him, stating that the investigating officer did not investigate thoroughly to determine the nature of the case.

Peter Blessing, with Bahati Pulse Live Kenya

“I find that a prima facie case has not been established by the prosecution and I hereby acquit the accused on all the counts,” said the Principal Magistrate Ochoi.

Peter Blessing was arrested in January 2020 and charged in court, before he was released on a Cash bail of Sh200K, after being sued by Bahati on grounds of obtaining Sh2,039,000 through false pretense, while at EMB Records.

Bahati's testimony

While testifying against Peter Blessing, Bahati accused him of illegally leaving EMB Records, without honoring the contract he signed to be managed by EMB Records in 2019, with an agreement that all returns from his music would go back to the label.

Peter Blessing speaks out after spending 3 nights in Jail over Bahati’s Sh2 Million Peter Blessing speaks out after spending 3 nights in Jail over Bahati’s Sh2 Million Pulse Live Kenya

“I used to pay his rent, bought his clothes and even the food that he ate, I paid for it. 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,” Bahati told the Court.

Bahati’s manager Weezdom added that EMB records had invested over Sh2 Million on Peter Blessing hoping it would recover the money, but he ended up exiting the label prematurely.

Brian Oruta