Eco Bank Branch Operations Manager, Relationship Officer and a client have been charged with stealing 55.6 million from the said financial institution.
Kevin George Kathurima, Norman Njuguna Karungo and Eucabeth Nyambeki Booko allegedly stole USD 540,000 equivalent to sh 55,673,988 at Eco Bank Kenya Limited, Ecotowers Branch in Nairobi on March 27, 2017.
Eucabeth Nyambeki faced an alternative count of handling stolen goods contrary to the law.
The court heard that she dishonestly received USD 540,000 equivalent to 55.6 million into her USD account held at ECO bank in her company name Eucabeth Nyambeki Booko jointly with Peter Mutonyi Sitati knowing it was stolen or unlawfully obtained.
The three faced another count of conspiring to steal 23.7 million from the said bank.
They allegedly conspired to steal the said amount jointly with others who were not before the court.
The court heard that they conspired to steal sh 23.4 million, USD 1,365, 1190 Pounds and 1800 Euros the property of the said bank.
Kathurima and Karungo were charged with another count of stealing by servant contrary to the law.
The court heard that being employees of Eco Bank as Branch Operations Manager and Relationship officer, jointly with others not before court stole 23.7 million money which came into their possession by virtue of their employment.
They appeared before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi and denied the charges.
They were released on a bond of 5 million or cash bail of sh 2 million.
The three were on Tuesday detained at Kileleshwa Police station for four days for police to conclude investigations.
Kevin George Kathurima was arraigned in court alongside Norman Njuguna Karungo, a teller at the said Bank and Eucabeth Nyambeki Booko.
They appeared before Resident magistrate Hellen Onkwani.
The learned magistrate ordered the three accused be detained at Kileleshwa police station pending investigations.
According to the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit, the three are being held for offence of forgery and theft by servant which was committed at Ecobank Gikomba Branch, where the first two suspects worked.
According to the prosecution on March 27, the Branch’s operations Manager, Kathurima reported that 23.4 million shillings , 1365 US Dollars , 1190 Pounds and 1800 Euros was missing from the safe of the bank without the branch being broken into.
The prosecution further claims that Kathurima was in charge of the vault and had the mandate to initiate and authorize transactions of all payments domiciled in the branch for accounts at the said branch.
The case will be heard on May 11.
