Eight charged with Sh450m Fuliza heist

Eight men have been charged with stealing Sh449.6 million from NCBA Bank through a mobile overdraft facility popularly known as Fuliza.

Mr Peter Gitahi Wambui, Mr Isaac Kipkemoi, Mr Moses Rono, Mr Collins Kipyego, Mr Maxwell Njamba, Mr Edwin Kipkorir, Mr Gideon Kipkirui and Mr Gideon Kipkoech, who appeared before a Nairobi court on Monday, denied a total of 13 counts.

The charges include stealing, conspiracy to steal, engaging in organised criminal activities and possession of stolen property, including identity cards and motor vehicles.

The eight had been released on a cash bail of Sh200,000 each and asked to report to the investigating officer every Saturday. However, the prosecution took them back to the court, charged them and opposed their release on bond, saying, the amount involved was huge.

Charges against two other suspects were dropped after investigations revealed they were not involved. 

The eight were accused of jointly conspiring with others not before the court to steal Sh449,647,200 from NCBA Bank between January 1 and July 4, 2022. The court heard that the suspects were arrested in Nakuru and Kitale.

Mr Gitahi, who was arrested in Kitale, was also found in possession of 14 Safaricom registering machines (MoBiGo) and 10 identity cards.

Mr Kipkemoi was allegedly found in possession of 760 Sim cards, Mr Njamba had 2,014, while Mr Kipkorir had 281, which, the police said, were for purposes of stealing.

While seeking to detain the suspects for 14 days last week, the police revealed that more than 123,000 mobile phone subscribers joined Fuliza and borrowed loans between January and July 2022 and thereafter switched off their Sim cards.

Their lawyer, Mr Ham Lagat, asked the court to free them on bond because the offence is bailable. He said most of them are students and did not intend to run away after being freed.

The court will decide whether or not to release them on bond tomorrow.

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