Kenya: Court Allows DCI to Hold 14 Suspects for Five Days Over Money-Laundering Probe

Nairobi — The JKIA Law Courts have granted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) five days to detain 14 suspects as detectives investigate alleged money laundering and obtaining money by false pretences.

The suspects were arrested on September 1, 2026, during a DCI operation at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The investigators asked the court to allow the suspects to be held at JKIA Police Station, arguing that they needed additional time to complete investigations that could not be concluded within the constitutionally prescribed 24-hour period.

The probe was triggered by a complaint lodged by a US national, identified as Alkhalifi Ibrahim Hassan, according to court documents.

As part of the operation, DCI officers also raided Zizo Warehouse, located behind Vision Plaza in Nairobi's Industrial Area, during an early-morning operation.

The suspects are being investigated for alleged money laundering contrary to Section 3 of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act (POCAMLA) and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code.

Detectives told the court that several exhibits were recovered during the operation and listed in an inventory filed alongside the application for continued detention.

The DCI also sought permission for its ICT and Digital Forensics Laboratory to take custody of mobile phones recovered from the suspects for forensic examination.

The proposed examination will involve imaging, accessing, decrypting where necessary, searching and analysing the devices to establish whether they contain evidence relevant to the investigation.

According to the investigators, the phones could contain financial transaction records, communications and other electronic data capable of shedding light on the alleged offences.

The DCI argued that the information could not be properly extracted, preserved or analysed without examination by qualified digital forensic officers.

The court allowed the application and ordered that the 14 suspects remain in custody for five days to facilitate completion of the investigations.

The case will be mentioned next Friday for an update on the investigations and further directions.

Read the original article on Capital FM.