A Nairobi court has issued orders to detain two people suspected to have stolen Sh 30 million from their deceased boss.
Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi allowed Felistas Nyambura and James Wachira to be detained for five days to allow police to conclude investigations.
According to the Banking Fraud Investigations officer Corporal Michael Wandera, Nyambura and Wachira are alleged to have stolen the debit card of Joseph Barrage Wanjui and debited over Sh 30 million between 2022 and June 2024.
“The said debits were initiated through credit card swaps from different petrol stations countrywide,” officer Wandera said.
The officer old the court that he needs time to obtain more documentary evidence from ABSA Bank Kenya PLC including statements of accounts and card details.
It is alleged that on 3rd September 2024, the complainant, Joyce Ann Muthoni Wanjui was informed by her mother who was a victim of card fraud that the respondents were arrested by police officers from Spring Valley police station and booked for the offence of stealing where Sh 706,000 was stolen from a credit card.
The court heard that at the police station, the respondents who were employees for the complainant’s parents for over twenty years acknowledged having been involved in the said card fraud.
He also needs said he need time to obtain and analyze CCTV footages from Oil Libya filling station Valley road, Chridal enterprises, Rubis South B, Lalji Ramji Meru, Estimmas Investments, Petrocity Gigiri, Total Ukunda, Petro Diani, Rubis Ukunda, Ola Spring Valley among other petrol stations where the credit card was used to commit the said fraud.
In addition, the officer said there is need to record statements from the complainant, her kin and various staff/petrol station attendants and the company management to establish who were the perpetrators and persons involved in the commission or aiding of the said offence.
The court declined to issue orders to detain the two for 14 days as sought by the Banking Fraud officers.
The magistrate ruled that five days were sufficient to conclude investigations into the matter.
The case will mentioned on 11th September 2024.
