How to load a python module installed in the executable folder? (C++)

I have an install structure like this:

install_folder\

• app.exe
• lib.dll
• python\
  • kitsu.py

And I am trying to execute some functions in my application from the file kitsu.py.

My C++ code is like this: ( main.cpp )

  TCHAR curr_path[MAX_PATH]; 
  DWORD length = GetModuleFileName(nullptr, curr_path, MAX_PATH);
  PathRemoveFileSpec(curr_path, MAX_PATH);
  PyObject* pName, * pModule, * pDict, * pFunc, * pValue, * presult, * sys, * python_folder, * fromlist, * syspathres;

  // Initialize the Python Interpreter
  Py_Initialize();

  // Build the name object
  pName = PyUnicode_FromString((char*)"kitsu");
  python_folder = PyUnicode_FromString((char*)".python");

  PyObject* py_curr_path = PyUnicode_FromString((char*)curr_path);
  char command[MAX_PATH];
  sprintf(command, "sys.path.append(%s)", curr_path);

  PyRun_SimpleString("import sys");
  PyRun_SimpleString(command);

  fromlist = PyTuple_Pack(1, python_folder);

  // Load the module object
  pModule = PyImport_ImportModuleEx((char*)"kitsu", nullptr, nullptr, fromlist);
  PyObject* init_kitsu = PyObject_GetAttrString(pModule, (char*)"init_kitsu");

  presult = PyObject_CallObject(init_kitsu, nullptr); 

(Please excuse any formal inconsitencies as this is early stage code.)

The application crashes because pModule is nullptr.

Why is it failing to retrieve the module?