DCI seeks to detain Bishop Gakuyo for 4 days in Ekeza Sacco probe

Detectives on Thursday sought court orders to detain fraud suspect David Kariuki Ngari alias Gakuyo for four days to conclude investigations into the alleged theft of more than Sh1 billion from sacco members.

Bishop Gakuyo, a televangelist, is associated with Ekeza Sacco Society Limited, Gakuyo Real Estate Ltd and Gakuyo Investors Club.

Corporal Bernard Gikandi, of the Financial Investigations Unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DIC), sought orders to hold the suspect at the Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi, via an application through the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

Gikandi told Senior Resident Magistrate Geoffrey Onsaringo that he was investigating a case of conspiracy to commit a felony, obtaining money by false pretences, stealing and money laundering.

The detective claimed Gakuo and his companies defrauded more than 50,000 people spread across the country, prompting the launch of an investigation in March 2019.

“Investigations are at an advanced stage and the respondent is likely to be charged with several cases,” he said.  “There has been a public outcry from the victims and other affected persons ... in light of the closure of the offices belonging to the respondent and the said companies.”

Gikandi further said Gakuyo was aware of the ongoing investigations and his pending arraignment and was thus a flight risk. He also noted that the suspect was arrested at the immigration desk at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on Wednesday while attempting to fly to Zambia. He submitted a boarding pass to prove this.

The suspect opposed the application through his 10 lawyers, led by Ndegwa Njiru and Dunstan Omari, who noted that their client had been available to investigators since the probe started.

Shadrack Wambui, another one of Gakuyo's lawyers, said Gikandi mischievously failed to disclose to the court that he had a return ticket for March 1, 2024.

The court will rule on Friday on the application to detain Gakuyo for four days.