A Kiambu High Court has issued a conservatory order barring the summoning, arresting, detaining, arraigning, and charging of High Court advocate Conrad Maloba over conspiracy to defraud a businessman of USD 470,750, equivalent to Ksh60,816,192.

Maloba had been arraigned before Milimani Principal Magistrate Rose Ndombi on Monday, May 11, 2026, to be charged with conspiracy to defraud Talal Yousef Zaitoun by falsely pretending to assist him in securing a Kenyan government contract for the supply and delivery of 500 ambulances.

However, before he could plead to the charges, the court heard that Maloba, through his lawyers, had filed a petition at the High Court seeking orders blocking his prosecution by the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) over three charges against him.

Judge Bahati Mwamuye, on the same day, issued an order temporarily blocking the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Inspector General of Police (IG), and the DPP from arresting and prosecuting Maloba pending the hearing and determination of his application.

Further, Justice Mwamuye has also temporarily restrained the DCI, IG and DPP from arresting, summoning and prosecuting any advocate, staff members or agent of Maloba’s law firm listed as the second petitioner (Conrad Law Advocates LLP).

“A conservatory order has been and is hereby issued restraining the respondents (DCI, IG and DPP), jointly and severally, whether directly or through their employees, servants, agents or related entities, from summoning, arresting, detaining, arraigning, charging or causing to be charged and/or prosecuting or further prosecuting the first petitioner (Conrad Maloba),” Judge Mwamuye ordered.

According to the charge sheet, between January 10, 2026, and February 25, 2026, in Nairobi County, Maloba, with others not before the court, conspired to defraud businessman Zaitoun while pretending they were in a position to assist him in securing a government contract to supply and deliver 500 high-roof diesel Toyota Hiace ambulances.

The DPP also wants to charge the advocate with obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 313 of the Penal Code and acquisition of proceeds of crime contrary to section 4(a) as read with section 16(1) of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act No. 9 of 2009.

“That between January 30, 2026, and February 25, 2026, at Nairobi City County, you acquired a sum of USD 450,750 through the Ecobank (USD) account in the name of Conrad Law Advocate LLP, whilst at the time, you knew or had reason to know that said money formed part of or was proceeds of crime,” part of the charge sheet reads.

Following the Kiambu High Court orders, Magistrate Ndombi has stayed the plea-taking until Maloba’s application before Justice Bahati Mwamuye is heard and determined.