Missionary in St. Mary’s Hospital row charged with forgery, fraud

An American missionary at the center of the St. Mary’s Missions Hospital ownership row has been charged with forgery and fraud.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi, Father William Charles Fryda pleaded not guilty to three criminal counts.

The prosecution accused Fryda of changing the hospital’s signatory bank account at Prime Bank in September, 2013.

The missionary faced a second count of altering a document where he allegedly changed the signatories of the catholic run medical institution.

He denied the charges and was freed on a bond of Ksh.500, 000 or cash bail of Ksh.200, 000.

The seven-year drama at the facility hit public limelight when on December 28, 2017, The Assumption of Sisters, Nairobi forcefully evicted the old management and staff at St. Mary’s Hospital Langata after winning ownership dispute case.

This came after a court order by Environment and Land Court Judge Munyao Sila on September 28, 2017 allowed them to seize management from Fryda who was the initial manager of the St. Mary’s hospitals.

The institution was once again in the limelight when on January 20, 2018, The Assumption of Sisters took over the management of St Mary’s Mission hospital in Gilgil in a 6am exercise overseen by more than 100 police officers.