Two people linked to electronic fraud were on Friday arraigned before a Kiambu court charged with conspiring to steal Sh135.4 million from National Bank of Kenya.
Patrick Shakaba and Brayan Onjula, who appeared before senior principal magistrate Stella Atambo, are among 131 suspects whom the DCI is pursuing in connection with electronic fraud through hacking into bank systems.
The accused persons were brought to court after presenting themselves to the police upon learning they were being sought by detectives.
They told the court through their lawyers George Eshuchi and Richard Ongego that they are victims, saying the master-minds were not being sought by police.
Wafula and Okombo denied various counts of theft, handling suspected stolen money and conspiracy to commit a felony.
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Senior state counsel Christine Mbevi did not oppose bail application by the defence. She told the court the case will be consolidated with another already before court.
The magistrate ordered each of them to be released on bond of Sh1 million or a cash bail of Sh500,000 pending further direction.
On January 24, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations obtained arrest warrants issued by a Kiambu court for 79 suspects, while the rest 52 issued were by Nairobi’s Milimani courts.
Mbevi said the suspects who are the most wanted in connection with electronic fraud by hacking into bank systems are still at large and that detectives wanted warrants of arrest to be issued so as to circulate the same in various police stations countrywide.
DCI has requested members of the public who may have any information about their whereabouts to contact DCI – ECCU Section or the nearest police station. One can also call or sms 0772627435, 0203343412, and 20-2861097.
Kenya Revenue Authority has said several blue chip banks, a parastatal and a supermarket chain are some of the institutions penetrated by an international cybercrime syndicate.