14 suspects arrested over alleged money laundering detained for 14 days

The suspects were arrested on September 1, 2026, following an operation conducted by officers attached to the DCI at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The DCI asked the court to detain the suspects at JKIA Police Station for five working days, arguing that investigators required additional time to complete their inquiries.

According to the application, the investigations were initiated following a complaint lodged by a US national identified as Alkhalifi Ibrahim Hassan. 

As part of the investigations, DCI officers also raided a warehouse identified as 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 and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code.

The DCI told the court that exhibits were recovered during the operation and had been listed in an inventory attached to the application.

Investigators also sought authority for the DCI's ICT/Digital Forensics Laboratory to take custody of mobile phones recovered from the suspects and conduct a forensic examination.

The requested examination includes imaging, accessing, decrypting where necessary, searching and analysing the devices.

According to the investigators, the mobile phones may contain potentially relevant evidence, including financial transaction records, communications and other electronic data that could assist in establishing the circumstances surrounding the alleged offences.

The DCI said the information could not be properly retrieved, interpreted or preserved without examination by qualified digital forensic examiners.

In seeking additional detention time, the investigator argued that the nature and scope of the investigations made it impossible to complete the inquiries within the constitutionally prescribed 24-hour period for presenting arrested persons before a court.

The court has granted the application and ordered that the 14 suspects be detained for five days to allow investigators to complete the ongoing inquiries.

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