College student, 21, in trouble with authorities after Sh102 million found in her bank accounts

A 21-year-old student at the Nairobi Technical Institute is in trouble with Asset Recovery Agency over Sh102 million in her bank account.

This comes after detectives flagged unusual activities on her bank account as it was credited with enormous sums of money.

State Counsel Steve Githinji in an affidavit dated November 16, 2021, asked the court to freeze the account in the interest of justice.

The investigating officer Fredrick Musyoki also said the economic advantage derived from the commission of crimes will continue to benefit a few at the disadvantage of the general public interest if the court does not grant the order to freeze the account.

“Unless this honourable court grants the orders sought, the economic advantage derived from the commission of crimes will continue to benefit a few at the disadvantage of the general public interest,” said Musyoki.

The young lady, Felesta Nyamathira Njoroge maintains her boyfriend in Belgium identified as De Mesel Merc gifted her with the amount: Sh102,654,024.

Sleuths established the money was deposited in Felesta’s account in four instalments that started on August 4, 2021, with a Sh25,803,756. Another Sh26,028,156 deposit was made the following day to the same account and the last double instalments on August 6, 2021, of Sh25,242,756 and Sh25,579,356.

The detectives also established the account under investigation in which the deposits were made belonged to Felesta.

A deeper dive into the account revealed it was opened just four days before the transactions were registered and the account had never held such large sums of money before the eyebrow-raising transactions.

The lady is said to have five other operational accounts within the same bank.

According to the agency documents, Felesta opened the account particularly for receiving the contentious funds meant for investment purposes.

“Preliminary investigations have established the respondent opened the suspect account for the sole purpose of receiving the said funds which she declared the source to be from "my boyfriend" and the purpose as investing in land projects and safaris,” an affidavit read.

Although the funds were sent for projects, Felesta’s boyfriend stated in a declaration form that she was free to use the money at her own discretion.

“I hereby admit that the donee will be full and absolute legal owner of the gifted money and even though I hope that she builds financial security for herself and our future children, she will be free to use the said gifted amount as per her own will,” the affidavit reads.

The Asset Recovery Agency moved to court to seek orders to freeze Felesta’s account after she failed to honour its sermon on October 18, 2021, to explain the transactions.

Her lawyers Ndindi and Nadida Advocates responded to the summon by a letter asking the detectives for better and proper particular of the alleged offence with regards to the information they wanted from Felesta.

Upon request of a better explanation to help them advise Felesta on the required documentation she would carry with her, the lawyers wrote to the detectives, informing them that Flesta was not in the country and her return was unknown.

“We would like to inform you that our client, Felesta, is currently not in Kenya and in fact left the country on October 2, 2021. We do not have information on when our client will be coming back to Kenya,” read the letter.

The agency says it is yet to receive any form of communication or explanation from Felesta on the source or purpose of the money in her account.

The agency suspects Felesta is part of an elaborate syndicate that includes foreign nationals thriving in complex money laundering schemes.

They say they have enough reason to believe the money in Felesta’s account is illicit from money laundering schemes and that account is a conduit for the vice.