The police have been granted additional time by the court to investigate how two domestic workers allegedly stole over Sh 30 million from their late employer’s ABSA bank account.
Felistas Nyambura and James Wachira, the two accused workers, were initially detained after a court order to allow police to investigate how they managed to access and withdraw the funds from their deceased employer’s account. However, the investigators informed Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi that their investigations were still inconclusive and requested more time to carry out a thorough inquiry.
Magistrate Ekhubi directed the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit (BFIU) of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to conduct an extensive investigation to establish how the funds were withdrawn from the ABSA Bank account of the late Joseph Barage Wanjui. The police aim to determine how the two workers allegedly used their employer’s credit card to access the funds.
Corporal Michael Wandera, who is leading the investigation, told the court that the five days they were granted last week were insufficient to complete the probe. He explained that his team needed more time to travel widely and record statements from witnesses in various locations, including Mombasa, Meru, Nakuru, and Nanyuki, among others.
Wandera further stated that his team of investigators would need to scrutinize numerous documents from ABSA Bank Kenya to trace the movement of money and identify the beneficiaries involved in the transaction.
State counsel Virginia Kariuki, representing the prosecution, urged the court to grant the police request for more time to ensure justice is served.
“Having heard the prosecution and the police investigating this complex matter, I allow the application by the police to conduct a public inquiry,” ruled Magistrate Ekhubi.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the alleged theft and those involved.
