- Seth Mwabe Okwanyo, a cybersecurity consultant, is accused of Ksh11.4M cyber fraud.
- Arrested on August 30, 2025, at Tatu City.
- Prosecution sought 20-day detention for forensic and financial investigations.
- Court rejected the request, saying it lacked merit.
- Okwanyo released on a Ksh1M bond or a Ksh500,000 bail, with strict conditions.
- Must appear before investigators weekly until the case is mentioned.
A Nairobi court has rejected a state request to hold Seth Mwabe Okwanyo, a cybersecurity consultant accused of stealing Ksh11.4 million through a cyber fraud scheme.
Okwanyo was arrested on August 30, 2025, at his apartment in Tatu City. He faces multiple charges under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act and the Penal Code, including unauthorised access, intent to commit further offences, and theft.
The complaint was filed by Afrisend Money Transfer Limited, which reported that on July 16, 2025, fraudsters executed 38 suspicious transactions worth Ksh11,410,165 from a Diamond Trust Bank account via the Pesalink system.
Investigating officer CI Julius Cheruiyot alleged that Okwanyo was “heavily involved,” providing a fraudulent Telegram bot that enabled the money to be siphoned. The state also claimed he directly benefited from the crime.
Prosecutors had asked the court to detain Okwanyo for 20 days, arguing they needed more time to conduct forensic checks on electronic gadgets, get cooperation from global firms like Telegram and Starlink, and trace financial records. They also warned that the suspect could interfere with witnesses if released.
However, the Chief Magistrate at Milimani dismissed the request, saying there was no strong reason to keep Okwanyo in custody.
“I find that the application is not merited in terms of denying the respondent his liberty. It is evident that the suspect has no control over what the Investigating Officer elucidated as part of his investigation,” the magistrate ruled.
The court instead freed Okwanyo on a cash bond of Ksh1 million with a surety of the same value, or an alternative bail of Ksh500,000, provided he gives three contact persons.
The magistrate further directed Okwanyo to report to the Investigating Officer once every week until the case is mentioned again.
