A lawyer representing former Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong’are Esimaba has been questioned by the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit (BFIU) over claims of forgery and impersonation, allegedly intended to extort Co-operative Bank.
Mr Esimaba has rushed to court to block his potential arrest in relation to the same impersonation and extortion investigation.
Advocate Reuben Ogachi Nyamweya appeared before BFIU sleuths on Tuesday, accompanied by Mr Esimaba, after Co-operative Bank of Kenya complained to investigators regarding a suspected forgery and false representation relating to a matter filed at Nyamira High Court that seeks to stop the bank’s Annual General Meeting(AGM) set for May 15, 2026.
The shareholders' AGM seeks to ratify the restructuring of the bank and the creation of a holding company and a new subsidiary for its core banking operations as part of its growth and long-term expansion strategy. The plaintiffs in the suit claim there was no public participation. The bank denies terming the lawsuit as blackmail from impostors seeking to extort.
The interrogation of Mr Nyamweya at BFIU headquarters in Nairobi followed a letter dated May 7, 2026, in which Co-operative Bank Head of Security Edwin Karuri said preliminary investigations had revealed that the lawsuit allegedly filed by five cooperatives was an act of impersonation intended to extort.
''It has come to our attention that a lawyer purporting to act on behalf of Gusii Farmers Union, Sironga Farmers Cooperative Society, Isoge Farmers Cooperative Society, Matutu Farmers Cooperative Society, Credious Oigara Nyamwange and an individual, filed the matter before the Nyamira High Court with an intention to stop or interfere with the holding of Co-operative Bank AGM.
However, preliminary engagements with the officials of the said cooperative societies have established that they did not instruct any lawyer to institute the proceedings on their behalf,” the letter states in part.
“This raises serious concerns regarding possible forgery of documents, falsifications of particulars, and false representation before the court. Given the gravity of the matter and the potential criminal elements involved, we request your office to urgently investigate the matter,’’ the letter from Co-operative Bank to BFIU further states.
In a phone interview with the Nation , Nyamweya confirmed that he appeared before the CBK’s Banking Fraud Unit for questioning following the complaint from the Co-operative Bank that he was reportedly part of a wider network that forged documents and impersonated Mr Chege and filed the fictitious lawsuit.
Mr Nyamweya denied any involvement but maintained he is only representing Mr Esimaba at Milimani High Court through his law firm in a case where he is seeking a court reprieve for his client against imminent arrest over his involvement in the Co-operative Bank restructuring aspect. The court is yet to issue the directions on the matter that was filed yesterday under reference number E297 OF 2026.
Mr Kennedy Mong’are, a former Nyamira senator and a lawyer.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
''Where did you get my number from? You seem to be having more information than what you are seeking from me. Yes, I indeed appeared before the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit (BFIU) over the Nyamira High Court matter and I told detectives I am not a party to it and I am not representing anyone,” Mr Nyamweya said.
''I think it would be fair if I call you back after talking to Kennedy Mong’are Esimaba (former Nyamira senator),” Mr Nyamweya said. He did not call back.
But even as Mr Nyamweya denies his involvement in a civil case filed at Nyamira High Court, former Mr Esimaba claimed that he got to know the lawyer through the Nyamira High Court case.
Mr Esimaba maintained that Mr Nyamweya represented the plaintiffs and that all parties listed in the court case are participating in it.
Mr Esimaba added that he accompanied Mr Nyamweya to the BFIU as a friend to respond to a summons over forgery and impersonation, but he (Mr Esimaba) was not interrogated.
The lender has further told the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit that it has also learnt that some of the petitioners in the lawsuit, namely Ikonge Farmers Cooperative Society, Nyamaiya Farmers Cooperative Society, Ekerenyo Farmers Cooperative Society and Metamaywa Farmers Cooperative Society, are not shareholders of Cooperative Bank, hence have no authority or reason to file such a suit.
Co-operative Bank has told detectives that it is basing its argument that the lawsuit is a by-product of forgery and impersonation on a letter dated May 6, 2026 where the management of Co-opholdings Co-operative Society Limited and undersigned officials of Co-operative Societies in Kisii and Nyamira Counties committed in writing, affirming an approval of the restructuring of the bank citing return on investments after the lender raised its dividend for the year ended December 2025 by 66.6 percent to a record Sh14.6 billion on the back-drop of a net profit Sh29.75 billion.
''We notably commend you for the successful Annual General Meeting of Co-opholdings on 24th April 2026 that we attended in person at the Bank’s Training Centre in Karen wherein key matters, including the restructure of the Bank /change of Name to Co-op Bank Group PLC, were unanimously approved. We fully dissociate ourselves with parties outside there purporting to act for our societies in malicious activities in purported opposition to the AGM of the Bank on 15th May 2026,’’ the letter from Co-opholdings to the board management of Co-operative Bank reads in part.
The Nyamira High Court case number E010 of 2026 is filed by Ndongu Advocates, owned by Anthony Ndongu Chege.
Correspondence between Mr. Chege and BFIU shows that in a letter to the Central Bank Fraud Unit, Mr Chege disowned being party to or an advocate in the purported lawsuit, either by representation or association.
''After you brought to my attention the matter concerning a case filed using my Case Tracking System(CTS) credentials, I have examined the same matter as it appears on CTS portal. I hereby clearly state that I did not file the matter, nor was it filed by a person acting for and on my behalf. I never sought nor got instructions for the said or its filing,” Mr Chege’s letter to the BFIU reads in part.
A confidential intelligence report compiled by the BFIU and seen by the Nation also shows that Ndongu Advocates' license from the Law Society of Kenya, registered under admission number P.105/14171/17, expired in 2025.
Insiders conversant with the matter on Tuesday said that advocate Reuben Ogachi Nyamweya was summoned by BFIU sleuths after he was linked to impersonation and identity theft in the Nyamira High Court case.
