A lawyer based in Nairobi is in police custody after he allegedly duped his client out of Ksh49.4 million.
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 4, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stated that the accused had allegedly stolen the money, which the client had given him to purchase prime land within the city.
DCI detectives traced him down to up-market Kilimani after the lawyer's client filed a complaint against him
"Investigations established that the complainant entrusted the suspect with Ksh49,400,500 on diverse dates between 16th November 2023 and 3rd January 2024 to facilitate the purchase of the land.
"However, instead of applying the funds for the intended transaction, the suspect allegedly diverted the money and unlawfully converted it to his own use," the statement read in part.
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The suspect is being held at a police station, where he is being processed pending his arraignment in a court of law.
According to the DCI, they agency wants the accused to be charged for the offence of Stealing by Agent, contrary to Section 283(b) of the Penal Code.
The Section 283 lists the stealing of property which has been entrusted to the offender either alone or jointly with any other person for him to retain in safe custody or to apply, pay or deliver for any purpose or to any person the same or any part thereof or any proceeds thereof as Stealing by Agents.
If fund culpable of the offence, the accused is liable to a punishment of imprisonment without he alternative of a fine.
"If the offender, before committing the theft, had been convicted of a theft punishable under any of Sections 275 to 284 inclusive, he is liable to imprisonment for seven years," the Penal Code reads.
The arrest came just days after the DCI arrested a woman who had been on the run over her alleged involvement in a multi-million-shilling land fraud case linked to the sale of plots in Kajiado County.
The agency said the suspect, Nancy Wamuyu Njai, was arrested pursuant to a court warrant and is currently undergoing processing before being presented in court.
