https://nairobinews.nation.africa/money-laundering-scandal-where-millions-were-stolen-from-a-police-sacco/

A Safaricom employee accused of using people’s national identification card numbers to register mobile lines used to steal over Sh29.5 million from the National Police DT Sacco Society has been charged with fraud.

Mr David Obwanga Adoyo, a trade development representative (TDR) faced six fraud charges when he was charged before Milimani senior principal magistrate Gilbert Shikwe.

A prosecution counsel, Judy Koech, told the magistrate that Mr Adogo would be tried alongside MPesa Agents, who were charged last year with the multi-million fraud.

Mr Adoyo conspired alongside others to steal from the National Police DT Sacco Society Limited to steal Sh29,530,566.

He was accused of aiding and abetting the alleged offence by allegedly facilitating the registration of five mobile numbers 0799107895, 0741290372,  0768890678, 0793581012 and 0796338248, using national identifications (IDs) of people without their consent.

Mr Adoyo, a TDR, allegedly linked the said mobile lines to Sacco members’ accounts to withdraw Sh12,954,937, which had been stolen from the police sacco from MPesa agents.

The prosecution has identified persons whose IDs were used without their consent, such as Godfrey Njuguna Lucas, Peris Njoki Mwangi, Kesia Wangari Maina, and Beth Wambui Murage.

“This case will be consolidated with another in which suspects have been charged and are out on a cash bail of Sh1 million. I urge this court to invoke the same bail terms in the case before court,” Ms Koech pleaded.

Mr Shikwe imposed the same terms as in the previous file by ordering Mr Adoyo to deposit a cash bail of Sh1 million.

The case will be mentioned in two weeks for consolidation and fixing of the hearing.

Mr Adogo will now be charged along with MPesa operators Ms Jane Njoki Gaitho, Alexander Odhiambo Otieno, and an ICT expert Brian Samba Oluoch.

The three were accused of fraud and money laundering in what investigators insist is an elaborate cybercrime syndicate.

Gaitho and Otieno, the Gikomba market-based M-Pesa operators, were accused of allowing the cash outlet to be used to withdraw over Sh7,035,200 stolen from the Kenya National Police DT Sacco Society.

The millions were allegedly stolen from the Utumishi kwa Wote Sacco between August 2021 and April 15, 2022.

The M-Pesa operators were charged with money laundering by allegedly allowing those withdrawing the funds to access the said Sh7,035,200 when they knew the money had been stolen from the Police Sacco.

The three were accused of conspiring to steal Sh29,530,566 on diverse dates between February 7 and April 15, 2022.

The charges against Adoyo were allegedly committed within the same period, August 28 2021, and April 15 2022, as preferred against the other suspects.