Dickson Yiaile Sitei faces charges over money mistakenly transferred to his bank account.
Detectives arrested Dickson Yiaile Sitei after investigators alleged he spent money sent to his account by mistake and ignored refund requests.
A Westlands man faces criminal charges over a mistaken Sh6.7 million transfer that investigators allege he kept and spent. Detectives arrested Dickson Yiaile Sitei on Saturday along Lantana Road after investigating the payment.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers from the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit made the arrest. Sitei remained in police custody as officers prepared for his court appearance.
How the Sh6.7 million transfer happened
According to the DCI, the error occurred in mid-November 2025 while a private company processed 74 electronic bank transfers. The payments included Sh72,000 in rent due to Sitei for a shop he had leased to the company in Suswa.
However, a system error combined his rent payment with Sh6,744,354 intended for another business. The resulting single transaction sent both amounts to Sitei’s personal bank account.
The company later discovered the mistake and contacted him to request repayment. Investigators allege that, despite repeated requests, Sitei retained and spent the money rather than returning it.
Prosecutors approve two charges
After completing their investigation, police forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Prosecutors subsequently reviewed the file and approved two charges against Sitei.
He faces a count of unlawfully withholding an erroneously delivered payment under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act. He also faces a money laundering count under the Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering Act.
DCI warns recipients of mistaken payments
Following the arrest, the DCI reminded the public that an accidental bank deposit does not automatically belong to its recipient. The agency also warned that knowingly retaining or spending money transferred in error may lead to criminal charges.
