Cop, four suspects held while trying to steal Sh28.5m from Busia bank

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers on Saturday arrested five suspects including a police officer in a botched bank heist in Busia town.  

Three suspects were arrested at Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Busia town branch as they tried to withdraw Sh28.5 million from someone's account while two others were later arrested in Ahero, Kisumu county escaping from the police.

“Five suspects including a police officer were today arrested in Busia town and Ahero (Kisumu County) after an attempt to withdraw Sh28.5 million from an account held at KCB Bank-Busia town branch backfired,” DCI said on Twitter.

The suspects arrested in Busia town were found with transaction forms with a different ID number from that of the account holder.

Bhavin Ramesh, Vijay Jamnaday and Desmond Lusweti had presented fake transaction documents to the bank's branch manager who realised the trick and tipped DCI officers.

“The trio was arrested after the transaction forms they presented to the branch manager bore a different ID number from that of the account holder,” said DCI.

Two other suspects, Constable Kipkirui Tanui attached to Wilson Airport and Alex Kimeli who had been waiting for their accomplices to withdraw the cash were arrested while escaping the scene.

After sensing danger, the two sped off towards Kisumu as they tried to escape but police caught up with them.

“Police Constable Kipkirui Tanui Kimeli an alleged businessman in Nairobi who had been waiting in a getaway car outside the banking hall were pursued and caught up with at Ahero.”