A Nairobi lawyer implicated in the Sh 1.4 billion Equity Bank heist has been released on a personal bond of Sh 30 million pending conclusion of investigations.
Chief Magistrate Lukas Onyina released Esther Bitutu Kadiki on bond on grounds that the state failed to prove that she was a flight risk.
Kadiki is among the suspects believed to have fraudulently withdrawn Sh 1,499,465,831.29 from the bank’s internal Salaries Remittance General Ledger account between 1st May and 31st July 2024.
Kadiki was arraigned in court under a miscellaneous application where the police sought orders to detain her for 14 days to allow them to complete investigations.
According to an affidavit by investigating officer Chrispinus Sore Shibanda, after the money was withdrawn, it was funneled into multiple external accounts.
The court heard that Sh 38,404,574 was deposited in an NCBA Bank account in the name of Inforide Point Limited, a company Kadiki co-owns with her husband.
Money was also allegedly deposited in an account in the name of Kadiki & Advocates, a company she solely owns.
The investigating officer said that the lawyer was arrested on 5th May 2025 after presenting herself at the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit.
“This follows summons that were issued to her since October 2024 with her explanation being she had been out of the country for a long time,” the investigator said.
Shibanda added that her failure to tie up the long absence to any business clearly demonstrated that she was on the run and as such a flight risk.
The court heard that releasing her on bond would largely give her an avenue to continue affecting the ongoing investigation by her frequent and long travels out of the country.
However, the court ruled that being out of the country was not sufficient ground to conclude she was a flight risk.
