The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has released fresh details on the case of a viral social media video implicating two of its officers attached to the Kasarani Police Station.
In the video, the complainant accused the two officers of conning her Ksh50,000, in her efforts to recover Ksh300,000 that she had lost during a mobile money transfer.
How it Happened
According to a statement recorded with the police, the complainant, while in Saudi Arabia, sent Ksh413,000 to her sister who lived in Kenya at the time. The lady then deposited the money at a bank, where she was asked to wait for three days for the transaction to be processed.
Her plight started after her sister revealed that she did not receive the money, forcing the woman to return to the bank where she ascertained that it was erroneously deposited to a different mobile subscriber.
“The bank tried to reverse the transaction but only managed to reverse Ksh171,000 while the balance of Ksh242,000 had already been withdrawn by the unintended recipient,” DCI revealed in their statement.
In efforts to trace her hard-earned money, the lady flew to Kenya, where she reported the matter at the Kasarani Police Station, and was later referred to the DCI Kasarani for further action.
“Two detectives were assigned the case where they launched investigations into, -Intentionally Withholding Payment Delivered Erroneously Contrary to Section 35 of Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act no. 5 of 2018-” the statement further explained.
The Investigations
Upon investigations, the man suspected of having received the money was traced to the Bande area at the Kenya-Tanzania border during the Christmas period in 2023.
“On January 13, 2024, the suspect was nabbed and booked at Inuka Police Station in Likoni. In compliance with the 24-hour rule within which a suspect must be arraigned before a magistrate, the suspect was released on a KSh22,000 cash bail but thereafter switched off his phone,” DCI further explained.
The suspect was, however, traced and arrested on February 20, 2024. He was later arraigned at the Makadara Law Courts on February 22, 2024, and was charged and granted a Ksh200,000 bail.
The case is set to be mentioned on June 18, 2024, with the hearing scheduled for October 24, 2024.
Action on the Accused Officers
DCI did not confirm the allegations levelled against the officers accused of demanding a bribe to aid the woman recover her money.
However, it promised to investigate the claims and issue a preliminary report later on.
"Whereas the case is Pending Before Court (PBC), the alleged misconduct of the investigating officers will be investigated and appropriate action taken," DCI stated.
