A city lawyer linked to the infamous Sh1.49 billion heist at Equity Bank that shocked the country last year has been arraigned in court, with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) seeking 21 days to conclude investigations.
Esther Bitutu Kadiki, an advocate of the High Court, was presented before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina with the DCI detectives requesting three additional weeks to detain her while finalising the probe into the matter.
In a detailed affidavit filed by the DCI through Chief Inspector Chrispinus Sore Shibanda, the court was told how lawyer Bitutu allegedly assisted prime suspects in the heist, including a senior Equity Bank manager, to steal billions of shillings intended for staff salaries.
The DCI officer attached to Banking Fraud Unit indicated that Equity Bank reported that, between May 1, 2024, and July 31, 2024, numerous fraudulent debits amounting to Sh1,499,465,831.29 were made from its internal Salaries Remittance General Ledger account.
