Court allows DCI to hold 14 suspects for five days over money-laundering probe

On October 2, 2026, Kenya's JKIA Law Courts granted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) permission to detain 14 suspects for five days while they investigate alleged money laundering and false pretenses. The suspects were apprehended on September 1, 2026, during a DCI operation at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The investigation was initiated by a complaint filed by a US national named Alkhalifi Ibrahim Hassan, as documented in court records. Upon seizing the suspects, DCI officers conducted a raid on Zizo Warehouse in Nairobi’s Industrial Area. The arrested individuals face charges of money laundering under Section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act (POCAMLA) and obtaining money through false pretenses under Section 313 of the Penal Code.

During the operation, investigators recovered evidence, which was detailed in an inventory attached to the application for extended detention. Additionally, the DCI sought to have the suspects' mobile phones taken into custody for digital forensic examination at their ICT and Digital Forensics Laboratory. The purpose of this examination was to scrutinize potential financial transaction records, communications, and other electronic data that could substantiate the allegations.

The court permitted the application, mandating that the suspects remain in custody for an additional five days to ensure the thorough completion of the investigations. The case will be revisited in court next Friday for an update on the progress of the investigations and any further instructions from the judge.