A Nairobi court has directed an investigating officer to appear and explain how funds and a personal identification number (PIN) from a confiscated mobile phone were accessed by unknown individuals, resulting in unauthorized withdrawals.
The directive, issued by Magistrate BenMark Ekhubi, follows an application filed by police officer Charles Lotira, one of several suspects facing charges related to organized criminal activity in Turkana, including the alleged sale of ammunition for profit.
Lotira, who has denied all charges, claimed through his lawyer Danstan Omari that his mobile phone was confiscated by authorities during investigations and later returned. However, he alleged that while in police custody, officers had obtained access to his PIN.
Upon retrieving his device, Lotira reportedly discovered that over Ksh.30,000 had been withdrawn from his M-Pesa Fuliza account without his consent.
His lawyer argued that the matter exposes serious concerns about the handling of sensitive digital information by law enforcement, suggesting potential breaches in data security and chain of custody protocols.
In response, Magistrate Ekhubi ordered the investigating officer to submit a detailed explanation outlining how the account was compromised, who accessed the funds, and how the PIN was disclosed.
Lotira has also requested that mobile service providers be summoned to present transaction records and provide clarity on how the unauthorized withdrawals occurred.
