A Dandora man, Amos Ochieng, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to five charges linked to the wrongful retention and use of Sh250,000 that was mistakenly transferred to his bank account.
Ochieng was arraigned at the Senior Principal Magistrate’s Court at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday, October 26, 2026, where he admitted to all five counts. He was convicted and remanded in custody pending sentencing on November 17, 2026.
The case dates back to September 4, 2026, when the complainant accidentally transferred Sh250,000 from his bank account to an account belonging to Ochieng.
The incident prompted an investigation after the money was credited to the wrong recipient. Detectives from the Wilson Airport Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched inquiries to establish what happened to the funds and determine whether the recipient had acted unlawfully.
As part of the investigation, detectives obtained a court order in JKIA Miscellaneous Criminal Application No. E184 of 2026, allowing them to investigate the recipient’s bank account.
Investigators established that Ochieng had withdrawn Sh150,000 from the account in three separate transactions before the bank blocked the remaining balance. The move prevented him from accessing the full amount that had been mistakenly transferred.
Detectives subsequently launched a search for the suspect, who was eventually traced and arrested on October 23, 2026. He was apprehended at his hideout near Total Petrol Station in Dandora before being presented in court to face the charges.
Among the charges was intentional withholding of an electronic payment delivered erroneously, alongside four other counts related to the incident. Ochieng pleaded guilty to all the charges and was convicted by the court.
Following the case, the DCI reminded members of the public that receiving money by mistake does not give the recipient the right to spend or retain it.
The agency cited Section 35 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018, which criminalises the intentional withholding of an electronic payment delivered in error.
Members of the public who receive money mistakenly sent to their accounts have been advised to notify their banks immediately and follow the official reversal process.
The DCI warned that an erroneous bank credit should not be treated as free money, noting that anyone who deliberately retains such funds risks facing criminal charges.
