A Dandora man has pleaded guilty to five counts after wrongfully retaining and spending part of the Sh250,000 mistakenly transferred to his bank account.
Amos Ochieng was arraigned before the Senior Principal Magistrate's Court at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on October 26, 2026, where he admitted to all five charges and was convicted accordingly.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the case began on September 4, 2026, when the complainant mistakenly transferred Sh250,000 from his bank account to an account belonging to Ochieng.
The erroneous transaction prompted detectives from Wilson Airport to launch investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the transfer and trace the funds.
Investigators subsequently obtained a court order under JKIA Miscellaneous Criminal Application No. E184 of 2026, authorising them to investigate the recipient's bank account.
The probe established that Ochieng had withdrawn Sh150,000 in three separate transactions before the bank blocked access to the remaining balance.
Detectives then launched a manhunt for the suspect, eventually tracking him down and arresting him at his hideout near Total Petrol Station in Dandora on October 23, 2026.
Ochieng was charged with intentional withholding of an electronic payment delivered erroneously, alongside four other counts relating to the incident.
Following his guilty plea, he was remanded in custody pending sentencing on November 17, 2026.
The DCI has warned members of the public against retaining or spending money mistakenly deposited into their accounts, noting that such actions can attract criminal charges.
The agency cited Section 35 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018, which criminalises the intentional withholding of an electronic payment delivered in error.
Members of the public who receive money erroneously have been advised to notify their banks immediately and follow the official procedures for reversing the transaction.
The DCI cautioned that receiving money by mistake does not give the recipient the right to spend it, urging Kenyans to resolve such cases through the appropriate banking channels.
