A Dandora man has been convicted after pleading guilty to five counts linked to the wrongful retention and withdrawal of Ksh250,000 mistakenly transferred to his bank account, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has said.
Amos Ochieng was arraigned at the Senior Principal Magistrateโs Court at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday, October 26, 2026, where he admitted all five counts. He will remain in custody pending sentencing on November 17, 2026.
According to the DCI, the case began on September 4, 2026, when the complainant mistakenly transferred Ksh250,000 from his bank account to an account belonging to Ochieng.
What followed was a criminal investigation after the money was allegedly withdrawn before the error could be fully reversed.
How the Ksh250,000 bank transfer was investigated
Detectives from the DCIโs Wilson Airport unit launched investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the erroneous transfer and trace the funds.
The investigators subsequently obtained a court order in JKIA Miscellaneous Criminal Application No. E184 of 2026, authorising investigations into the recipientโs bank account.
The probe established that Ochieng had withdrawn Ksh150,000 in three instalments before the bank blocked the remaining balance, according to the DCI statement.
The withdrawals prompted detectives to pursue the suspect, who was eventually arrested on October 23, 2026.
The DCI said Ochieng was traced to a hideout near Total Petrol Station in Dandora, Nairobi, following a manhunt.
Three days after his arrest, he appeared before the JKIA court, where he faced one count of intentionally withholding an electronic payment delivered erroneously, alongside four other counts.
The DCI did not specify the particulars of the remaining four counts in its statement.
The agency warned members of the public against treating money mistakenly deposited into their accounts as funds they are free to spend.
What Kenyan law says about money sent by mistake
The case has drawn attention to Section 35 of Kenyaโs Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018, which the DCI says criminalises the intentional withholding of an electronic payment delivered in error.
โAn erroneous credit is not a licence to spend,โ the DCI said in its statement.
The agency advised anyone who receives money accidentally to notify their bank immediately and follow the official reversal process.
The warning underscores the importance of reporting mistaken transfers rather than withdrawing or using funds that do not belong to the account holder.
DCI warns Kenyans against retaining mistaken payments
The investigation also highlights the role of court-authorised inquiries in tracing funds transferred electronically and establishing what happens after money reaches an unintended recipient.
In this case, the bank blocked the remaining balance after Ksh150,000 had reportedly been withdrawn, while detectives pursued the recipient.
Ochiengโs guilty pleas resulted in his conviction on all five counts, according to the DCI. However, the sentence will be determined when he returns to court on November 17.
The case serves as a reminder to bank customers to act promptly when they discover an erroneous transfer, whether they are the sender or the unintended recipient.
Anyone who receives money they know was sent by mistake should contact their bank and allow the institution to verify the transaction and initiate the appropriate reversal procedure.
The DCI has reiterated that mistakenly received electronic funds do not become the recipientโs money simply because they appear in a bank account.
