Court detains man over Ksh 4.1M case linked to Tanathi Water Works director
By Zipporah Ngwatu, April 14, 2026A Nairobi court has detained Patrick Katua Mutinda for five days to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to complete investigations into a complaint alleging he received Ksh4,154,000 in relation to recruitment for Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) jobs.
The complainant, Nicholas Wambua Muthangya, who is the director of the Tanathi Water Works Development Agency, reported that in November 2025, Anthony Muthangya informed him of KDF recruitment, which he was interested in.
According to the court papers, director Wambua states that they reached an agreement with Anthony and Patrick Katua to channel Ksh220,000 for each person interested in joining KDF.
He later informed his kin to prepare for the recruitment by mobilising the Ksh220,000 money, which was shared with him for him to transfer to Anthony and Katua.
In the court papers, the director reveals that he later transferred Ksh400,000 through his MPESA to one suspect, namely, Antony Muthangya’s family bank account.
Notably, he states that he also, on the diverse dates between November 11, 2025, and January 6, 2026, transferred from his equity bank account to Katua’s M-Pesa account a total of Ksh 4,154,000.
Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Paul Mutai on Monday, April 13, 2026, the investigating officer in the matter, Susan Wambugu, requested the court to detain the suspect to enable her to complete investigations.
Notably, Officer Wambungu informed the court that she also intends to conduct a search in a reported house in the Utawala area of Nairobi County, where the other suspect is believed to be hiding, and the release of the Katua is likely to jeopardise the ongoing investigations and recover crucial documents.
“Your honor, we are trailing other suspects directly involved with this offense who are believed to be in Kitui and Changamwe and their accomplices who are on the run, and if released before the completion of the investigations, the respondent (Katua) will interfere with the suspects and the witnesses that are critical in the ongoing investigations,” Officer Wambungu told the court.
The officer further revealed that they established that the two persons of interest had changed all their mobile numbers and had registered others using fake identities, and also changed their earlier residences from Nairobi to Mombasa.
She avers that Katua was arrested on April 9, 2026, while along Mama Ngina Street in Mombasa, where he had gone hiding.
However, Katua’s lawyer disputed that his client had switched off his mobile number, noting that it is a fact well known by the officers.
He further revealed that the complainant is a well-known person to his client, adding that the allegations by the State that Katua is a flight risk are not true.
Notably, he urged the court to grant the State two days to complete the investigations.
The court heard that the respondent (Katua) has already refunded some amount to the complainant.
The court granted the State five days to complete the investigations and ordered Katua to be remanded at Kilimani Police Station.
“I have allowed the investigators five days to conclude the investigations, and the respondent will be detained at Kilimani police station for five days,” Magistrate Mutai ruled.
The matter will be mentioned on April 20, 2026, before Court for further orders.