A bank manager has been charged with three counts of failure to report suspicions regarding proceeds of crime, aiding and abetting the commission of a terrorist act and failure to report cash transactions against the law.
Eastleigh Diamond Trust Bank’s Manager, Sophia Njoki Mbogo appeared before Chief magistrate Francis Andayi and denied all the three counts.
During the hearing, the court noted that on varied dates between December 4, 2018 and January 5, 2019 at Diamond Trust Bank Eastleigh Branch within Nairobi County, jointly with others not before court, being a branch manager, she failed to report suspicious activity involving transactions carried out at the branch which is Sh34,736,550.
The millions money are suspected to be related to money laundering or the proceeds of crime.
Second charge
In the second count, Njoki was charged that on similar dates and place, aided and abated the commission of a terrorism act which is ‘The Dusit Attack’on the January 15,2019 by failing to report suspicious activity involving transactions carried out at the said bank and the branch which is Sh34,736,550 suspected to have funded that attack.
Third charge
On the third count, the branch manager was charged that she knowingly failed to report cash transactions carried out at the bank and branch which amounts to USD 10,000 on December 4, 2018 and January 5, 2019.
‘No bail, please!’
The bank manager’s wife Mr Nicholus Ombija, requested the court to release her on favourable terms on the grounds that it is unprocedural for the state to make such an application.
However, the prosecution told the court that they intend to oppose bail so that they can be able to complete investigations against the accused.
“The accused has been in custody for 30 days without charges being levelled against her,” said the lawyer.
Ombija added that holding an accused person without leaving charges and seeking more time amounts to serious breach of the rights of an individual.