Two similar cases have been brought to the attention of Nairobi’s Milimani Law Courts involving persons accused of stealing money from different banks.
In one of the cases, three women, who were described by their lawyer as being “Semi-literate” were accused of hacking into the information systems of Consolidated Bank and stealing over 24 million.
Speaking of the accused, lawyer Boniface Nyamu told the court, “Your honour, it is ridiculous that at her age (59), the DCI can charge her with altering computer data. She cannot even operate a smartphone.”
The court heard that Josephine Mumo, charged alongside Damaris Mutheu and Regina Nyambura, presented herself before a local chief after learning that her picture was making rounds in the press.
Mumo was later apprehended by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers at Machakos Police Station.
The three women were accused of altering data of the Consolidated Bank’s core banking system on different occasions between December 31 and January 7.
Charges against them also indicated that they were responsible for causing the financial institution a loss of Ksh 24,588,800 after conspiring to steal.
The women denied the charges and were each released on a bond of Ksh300,000 or Ksh200,000 cash bail.
In the second case, a bank cleaner, Brevin Lugembe, was charged with conspiracy to steal Ksh24,661,806 from Equity Bank while working together with accomplices who did not appear in court.
A city lawyer cited the intelligence and professional capacities in the defense of the janitor accused of stealing the money.
“Your honour, my client is a cleaner at the said institution. I don’t think he has the capacity to siphon this kind of money,” the lawyer told the court.
The prosecution asked Milimani Principal Magistrate Martha Mutuku to consolidate the two matters.
Lugembe was denied any favourable bail terms. The court ordered that he be remanded until the case is mentioned for consolidation.
