Nairobi Man Arrested After Spending Sh6.7 Million Mistakenly Deposited into His Bank Account

A Nairobi man is facing serious criminal charges after spending more than Sh6.7 million that was mistakenly transferred into his bank account during a company's payment processing exercise. Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit (BFIU), arrested Dickson Yiaile Sitei on Saturday, October 24, 2026, along Lantana Road in Westlands, Nairobi. According to investigators, the case dates back to November 18, 2025, when a company was processing 74 electronic payments, including a legitimate Sh72,000 rent payment owed to Sitei for premises housing its Suswa shop. However, a processing error resulted in an additional Sh6,744,354, intended for another company, being deposited into Sitei's account. What should have been a straightforward correction of an erroneous bank transfer instead escalated into a criminal investigation after the company sought to recover the money. The DCI states that Sitei spent the excess funds despite the money having been transferred to him by mistake. Investigators subsequently compiled a case file and forwarded it to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review. Following its assessment, the ODPP directed that Sitei face charges of intentional withholding of an erroneously delivered payment, contrary to Section 35 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018. He is also expected to face a money laundering charge under Section 3(b)(1), as read with Section 16(1)(a), of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act. The arrest has renewed attention on the legal consequences of retaining or spending money mistakenly deposited into a bank account. The DCI warned Kenyans that receiving funds through a banking error does not automatically confer ownership of the money. The agency maintained that individuals who knowingly retain or use erroneously transferred funds risk criminal prosecution. Sitei remained in police custody pending arraignment, according to the DCI statement. The accusations against him are yet to be determined by a court. The case also highlights the importance of payment verification systems, particularly for companies processing large volumes of electronic transactions.