A suspected cybercriminal has been arraigned in court in connection with orchestrating a sophisticated digital fraud that cost a local bank and a Sacco more than Ksh52 million.
In a statement on Thursday, March 5 evening, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the accused was charged with access with intent to commit a further offence and computer fraud.
According to the DCI, the suspect identified as Albert Komen Kipkechem is behind two cyber incidents in June 2025 that targeted a payment service provider, a local bank, and a Sacco.
The fraud resulted in the financial institutions losing over Ksh52 million.
“Albert Komen Kipkechem alias Jonathan Kiptum Barmasai is the main suspect behind two incidents affecting a payment service provider, a local bank, and a SACCO, where the institutions lost over fifty-two (52) million shillings in June 2025,” DCI stated.
Read More
The affected entities reported the matter to Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit detectives attached to the Cyber Fusion Unit at the Central Bank of Kenya, who immediately launched investigations.
The investigations, which involved experts from the National Forensic Laboratory (NFL) and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) established that Kipkechem was behind the scheme.
Detectives revealed that the suspect used a remote access software to infiltrate the payment platform and banking information systems and carry out unauthorized transactions.
“It was established that the suspect used remote access software to gain unauthorized access to the payment platform and bank information systems and effected unauthorized transactions that did not follow the normal payment flow before the fraud was eventually detected,” DCI stated.
The DCI detectives obtained the necessary court orders and tracked down and arrested Kipkechem in Thome, Nairobi County.
The suspect was escorted to his Nakuru home, where several items linked to the fraud were recovered.
Among the items were electronic gadgets, fraudulently registered identity cards, a money counting machine, cash in Kenyan currency, assorted sim cards, and ATM cards registered under other people’s names.
The officers also recovered a Congolese passport bearing Albert Komen Kipkechem’s photograph but registered under the name Katempa Ngoy Alexisa and a Congolese identity card bearing the same name, among other items believed to have been used in the commission of the fraud.
The suspect was escorted back to Nairobi and was processed and later presented in court.
Kipkechem pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded at Capitol Hill Police Station until March 12, 2026, when the court will give directions on his bail and bond terms.
The incident comes days after detectives arrested an accountant in connection with masterminding a fraudulent scheme that saw a Sacco lose over Ksh16 million.
The suspect, identified as Amos Fikiri Ruwa, allegedly authorized cheque transactions using members’ accounts.
According to the DCI, the suspect collaborated with other external accomplices to carry out the scheme.
“An accountant has been apprehended for masterminding a fraudulent scheme that led to a sacco lose over Sh16 million, thanks to meticulous investigations by detectives from the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit (BFIU).
“The suspect, Amos Fikiri Ruwa, a former accountant of the Sacco, allegedly authorised cheque transactions using members' accounts, collaborating with external accomplices to perpetrate the scheme,” read the DCI statement.
The fraudulent scheme led to an initial loss of Ksh6,852,166, followed by additional transactions totaling Ksh9,161,000, bringing the total loss to Ksh16,013,166.
