A man from Baringo North who allegedly masterminded a Sh52 million cyber fraud targeting a payment service provider, a bank and a SACCO is now being sought by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) after failing to attend court proceedings.
Mr Albert Komen Kipkechem, who hails from Kaptum in Ossen Location, Baringo North and resides in Kabarak, Nakuru County, is wanted under warrants of arrest issued by the Milimani Law Courts.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) says the suspect, also known as Jonathan Kiptum Barmasai, was charged on March 3 and 12, 2026, with accessing a computer system with intent to commit a further offence and computer fraud under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018.
He was granted cash bail of Sh1.5 million and Sh500,000 on the respective charges but failed to attend subsequent court sessions, resulting in warrants being issued for his arrest.
The charges arose from two incidents in June 2025 in which a payment service provider, a local bank and a Sacco reportedly lost more than Sh52 million.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters along Kiambu Road.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
According to the DCI, the affected institutions reported the fraud to detectives from the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit attached to the Cyber Fusion Unit at the Central Bank of Kenya.
Investigations were subsequently launched in collaboration with experts from the National Forensic Laboratory and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau.
Detectives allegedly established that the two incidents shared a similar modus operandi, with the suspect using remote-access software to gain unauthorised entry into the payment platform and bank information systems.
He allegedly initiated transactions outside the normal payment process before the fraud was detected.
After collecting digital evidence from the affected institutions and obtaining court orders and search warrants, detectives arrested Komen in the Thome area of Nairobi County.
The mastermind of a Sh52 million cyber fraud targeting a payment service provider, a bank and a Sacco is being sought by DCI after jumping bail.
Photo credit: Pool
They later escorted him to his home in Nakuru, where they recovered several items believed to be linked to the alleged fraud.
Among the items recovered were electronic gadgets, fraudulently registered identity cards, a money-counting machine, Kenyan currency, assorted SIM cards from various telecommunications providers and ATM cards registered under other people’s names.
Detectives also recovered a Congolese passport bearing Komen’s photograph but registered in the name Katempa Ngoy Alexisa.
The DCI said the items were among those believed to have been used in the commission of the offences.
Komen was escorted back to Nairobi and processed before being arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He was initially remanded at Capitol Hill Police Station pending directions on his bail and bond terms on March 12, 2026.
With warrants now issued for his arrest, the DCI has appealed to members of the public with information that could help locate Komen to report to the authorities.
“Every piece of information matters. Your information could help bring a wanted person to justice,” the agency said.
