City lawyer linked to Sh1.49 billion Equity Bank heist arraigned in court

A city lawyer linked to the infamous Sh1.49 billion ="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=011965659370381653902:7awkdkhs2_y&q=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001501087/abducted-or-absconded-manager-in-sh15b-equity-bank-heist-goes-missing&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiM88i0hZGNAxVGK_sDHZl-LDAQFnoECAkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1HNB9fTg_QRsdf7pRl2TLk">heist at Equity Bank< that shocked the country last year has been arraigned in court, with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) seeking 21 days to conclude investigations.

Esther Bitutu Kadiki, an advocate of the High Court, was presented before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina with the DCI detectives requesting three additional weeks to detain her while finalising the probe into the matter.

In a detailed affidavit filed by the DCI through Chief Inspector Chrispinus Sore Shibanda, the court was told how lawyer Bitutu allegedly assisted prime suspects in the heist, including a senior Equity Bank manager, to steal billions of shillings intended for staff salaries.

The DCI officer attached to Banking Fraud Unit indicated that Equity Bank reported that, between May 1, 2024, and July 31, 2024, numerous fraudulent debits amounting to Sh1,499,465,831.29 were made from its internal Salaries Remittance General Ledger account.

These funds were credited to various non-Equity Bank accounts, with fictitious narrations used to disguise the origin, nature, and movement of the stolen money.

The DCI is investigating how Kenya’s second-largest lender lost Sh1.5 billion in a scheme believed to involve an insider and the lawyer. 

The court held that the funds, intended for salaries, were transferred to multiple external accounts in 47 transactions, none of which reflected on Equity’s ledger.

Internal controls were triggered, and Equity Bank reported the breach after discovering the transfers were authorized using the login credentials of a manager, who was on leave during the incident.

Police claim that the lawyer has been a member of a well-organised syndicate that recruits and targets bank staff in a bid to steal funds from lenders in the country.

"I have information that Lawyer Bitutu is a member of a larger organised group that is well-structured, with each assigned specific roles ranging from recruitment of ="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=011965659370381653902:7awkdkhs2_y&q=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/nyanza/article/2001429997/suspected-robbers-disguised-as-clients-and-left-equity-bank-police-say&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiM88i0hZGNAxVGK_sDHZl-LDAQFnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0F6ucwiNAR6_7k640GP9wA">targeted bank staff<, penetration of the bank system, to identifying and recruiting proxy persons and companies to launder proceeds of crime," said the officer.

"I have intelligence-gathered information which identifies Bitutu as an integral player in the planning and execution of the fraudulent activities, which benefited her directly and through proxies.

She acted as a recruiter of companies and persons whose accounts were used to launder the stolen funds," Sore added.

The court heard that Bitutu was involved in drafting fictitious business transaction agreements between companies engaged in non-existent activities.

These documents were used to justify large cash withdrawals from the benefiting accounts.

"I have established that despite the respondent’s involvement in drafting the fictitious agreements, she has been unwilling to provide information regarding the real individuals behind these deals, claiming she never met them," the officer told the court.

"As an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, such a narrative suggests she is protecting these individuals. Her continued freedom risks jeopardizing the ongoing investigations."

Account opening documents and statements of accounts submitted to investigators by NCBA Bank Kenya PLC and National Bank of Kenya Limited revealed that Sh38,404,574 of the stolen funds from Equity Bank were directly credited to accounts held in the name of Inforide Point Limited at NCBA Bank, a company co-owned by Bitutu and her husband.

Further, the DCI disclosed that another portion of the stolen money was funneled into an account under Kadiki & Advocates, solely owned by the lawyer, at the National Bank of Kenya.

Bitutu was arrested on May 5, 2025. The ="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=011965659370381653902:7awkdkhs2_y&q=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001264390/movie-like-bank-robbery-that-took-the-cake&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj11OeFhpGNAxUjfKQEHcZNLMMQFnoECAYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3EWNLu2TckA4NASkzEy80F">DCI< says it needs more time to trace witnesses with close ties to her, to prevent her from influencing them.

Preliminary investigations revealed that to obscure the illicit source of the funds, the money was layered through intricate financial transactions, including bulk withdrawals, inter-account transfers, and cryptocurrency purchases.

The DCI added that Bitutu provided an agreement involving her firm and eight other companies allegedly associated with over Sh400 million in suspect transfers.

Her arrest followed multiple summonses dating back to October 2024.

She claimed a prolonged absence from the country but failed to link it to any business activities, raising suspicion that she may be a flight risk.

DCI officers are probing Bitutu for several criminal offences, including: ="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=011965659370381653902:7awkdkhs2_y&q=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/topic/equity-bank&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiM88i0hZGNAxVGK_sDHZl-LDAQFnoECAcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2trKvrfPtn_BAnEPajm4rI">Money Laundering<, engaging in Organised Criminal Activities, cybercrime, and stealing.

The court will rule on whether to allow the DCI application to continue detaining Lawyer Batutu for 21 more days today, Wednesday, at 9 am.