Sh1bn Ekeza Sacco fraud: Bishop Gakuyo detained for three days

Fraud suspect David Kariuki Ngari alias Bishop Gakuyo will be detained at the Muthaiga police station until Monday.

The prosecution intends to charge him with money laundering, stealing and obtaining money by false pretences. The charges are in relation to Sh1.1 billion stolen from Ekeza Sacco.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had sought court orders to detain him for four days to conclude investigations into fraud where members of the Ekeza Sacco lost more than Sh1 billion.

Corporal Bernard Gikandi of the DCI's Financial Investigations Unit made the application through the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking to hold Gakuyo at Muthaiga police station.

Senior Resident Magistrate Geoffrey Onsaringo granted the orders despite opposition from the suspect's battery of lawyers.

Gakuyo had opposed the application through his 10 lawyers led by Ndengwa Njiru and Danstan Omari.

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

The detective said that over Sh1 billion was stolen by the Bishop and companies associated with him from more than 50, 000 victims spread across the republic who were defrauded in the scheme that has been under investigation since March 2019.

"Investigations are at an advanced stage and the respondent (Gakuyo) is likely to be charged with several cases involving over 50, 000 victims," stated Cpl. Gikandi.

"There has been a public outcry from the said victims and other affected persons over the fund lost and/or allegedly stolen by the respondent (Gakuyo) and companies associated with him in light of the closure of the offices belonging to the respondent and the said companies."

The companies include – Ekeza Sacco Society Limited, Gakuyo Real Estate and Gakuyo Investors Club.

He said Gakkuyo is aware of the ongoing investigations and pending arraignment in the court over the said investigations, adding he is a flight risk because he was arrested at the immigration desk at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport while attempting to fly to Zambia.

He availed a boarding pass to prove the same.

But Gakuyo's lawyers said the investigations have been ongoing for the last five years and he has been available to investigators during the period.

Gakuyo was arrested at the JKIA on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, just before flying to Zambia.