DCI Intercepts City Lawyer With Sh900,000 He Had Gone To Bribe Police For Release Of Cybercrime Suspects

A city lawyer was arrested by DCI officers when he attempted to bribe them with 900k for them to release suspects.

The suspect was identified as Mr. Antony Kirunyu Karoki; a practicing advocate at Karoki & Co. Advocates. The lawyer is in police custody after was arrested by DCI detectives based at Kasarani following an attempt to bribe the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer with Ksh. 900 K to secure the unconditional release of Five suspects of Electronic Money Fraud without charges.

The five suspects were arrested yesterday, 12th August 2020, with over 2,100 registered and unregistered subscriber lines among other electronic gadgets, and were being processed for arraignment when the suspect in question appeared.

The five individuals had been arrested within Pavab apartments, following a tip-off by members of the public on suspicion of engaging in Electronic Money Fraud.

The five suspects are John Ngotho Kariuki Samuel, Githinji Njenga, James Gitonga Maina, Mbogo Kamau, and Wilson Mugo Githinji, were found in possession of, 429 Airtel Lines, 1,720 unregistered Safaricom lines, Five laptops and 5 handsets.

The amount which was in Ksh 1,000 denomination has been documented by DCI Scenes of Crime personnel and kept as an exhibit, with the suspect placed in custody and to be charged with several offenses under the Bribery Act No. 47 of 2016 and the Penal Code.

Its unclear as to why the lawyer was in a rush to bail out the suspects whom had not even been formally charged. Of question is how he quickly raised the money and if the suspects are their clients on retainer.

Lawyers have become conduits in con games with the case of gold scammers like Jared Otieno using law firms to con unsuspecting victims and helping in money laundering. Lawyer Tom Okundi (Ayieko) of the Okundi & Company Advocates was used by senior fake gold scammer JaredOtieno. When working with Oraro and Rachier advocates, he played a key role in the 1998 scandal of grabbed Karura Forest plots.