Man in Ksh52.5M fraud case denied bail
By Zipporah Ngwatu, March 18, 2026A Nairobi court has denied Albert Komen Kipkechem, alias Jonathan Kiptum Barmasai, accused of Ksh52.2 million fraud, bond and bail.
Komen was charged with computer misuse and cybercrime and computer fraud on March 5, 2026.
Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Daisy Mutai, Komen denied all the charges, and a plea of not guilty was entered.
The accused, through his lawyers, sought to be released on bail or bond pending trial.
However, the prosecution opposed his release on bond, arguing that he is a flight risk since he is also a holder of a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) passport.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the court noted that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused may fail to appear in court.
Magistrate Mutai, in her ruling, stated that she finds the prosecution’s argument that the accused is indeed a flight risk convincing.
The court denied Komen bond and bail on the grounds that he might abscond from court.
“With this, I find that the prosecution has demonstrated a compelling reason which is the likelihood that the accused person will abscond from court,” Magistrate Mutai ruled.
Komen has been charged with access with intent to commit a further offence contrary to Section 15(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act No. 5 of 2016.
According to the charge sheet, he is accused of infringing the security measures of Ecletics International and gaining access without authority.
He is said to have gained access on diverse dates between June 6 and 20, 2025, with the intention of committing further offences.
On another count, he has been charged with computer fraud contrary to Section 26(1)(b) as read with Section 2(a) of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act No. 5 of 2018, causing a loss of Ksh 52,549,798.
“On diverse dates between June 6 and 20, 2025, at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, you fraudulently occasioned unlawful financial loss of Ksh52,549,798 to Ecletics International through unauthorised access to their computer system,” part of the charge sheet reads.
The court heard that the accused is implicated in a series of cyber attacks resulting in massive financial losses to several institutions, totalling approximately Ksh100 million.