DPP to Kenyans: Allow others to use your M-Pesa, bank accounts at your own risk

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, has warned Kenyans against allowing other people to use their bank accounts, M-Pesa lines and identification documents to move suspicious funds, cautioning that seemingly harmless favours could expose them to criminal investigations.

Mr Ingonga said young people were particularly vulnerable to exploitation by criminal networks that use financial accounts, mobile money services and digital wallets to facilitate money laundering and other financial crimes.

“Do not allow your financial accounts, identification documents or digital platforms to be exploited for criminal purposes,” he said during a community dialogue at AIC Church in Riruta, Nairobi.

The DPP said many Kenyans lend their accounts to friends, relatives or acquaintances without knowing the source of the money being transferred, particularly as mobile money services have become central to everyday transactions.

He warned that people who knowingly facilitate the movement of illicit funds could face criminal liability, depending on the circumstances and the evidence.

He was speaking during the Office of the Director of Public prosecution’s ‘Chapa Gumzo na Prosecutor’ initiative, which seeks to bring justice institutions closer to communities and improve public understanding of the criminal justice system.

The dialogue brought together representatives of the Judiciary, National Police Service, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Independent Policing Oversight Authority and National Cohesion and Integration Commission.

The DPP also warned against online fraud, identity theft, digital extortion and cyber harassment, noting that the misuse of artificial intelligence to create manipulated images, videos and audio recordings presented additional risks to the public.

He urged young people to exercise caution when sharing personal information and using digital platforms, while emphasising that efforts to combat cybercrime must respect constitutional rights, including privacy and freedom of expression.

Mr Ingonga said the ODPP’s responsibility extended beyond securing convictions to protecting victims, safeguarding the rights of accused persons and ensuring that prosecution decisions were guided by evidence, public interest and constitutional principles.

“Justice cannot remain confined to courtrooms, legal documents and institutional offices,” he said.

National Cohesion and Integration Commission Commissioner Jerusah Mwaathime urged young people to reject recruitment into criminal gangs and avoid sharing social media content that incites violence or public disorder.

IPOA Chairperson Duncan Ojwang said public confidence in the authority depended on truth and accountability, reaffirming its commitment to independent investigations and oversight of police activities.

The Nairobi engagement followed similar dialogues in Nyeri, Kakamega and Eldoret.

Mr Ingonga said the ODPP would continue working with justice sector institutions, civil society organisations and communities to strengthen public awareness and confidence in the justice system.

The warning comes amid growing concerns about financial crime, identity theft and the exploitation of digital payment platforms, with authorities relying on financial intelligence reports to identify transactions suspected of involving money laundering, corruption and other economic crimes.

In 2024, the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), Kenya’s financial intelligence agency, analysed 9,571 Suspicious Transaction Reports in its 2024 Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Trends and Typologies Report and flagged Sh15.65 billion in suspected illicit wealth.

In some cases, account holders may be recruited to move money while criminals conceal their identities or the origins of the funds. Others may have their personal details stolen and used without their consent, making it important for investigators to establish what an account holder knew about a transaction before determining criminal responsibility.

The report also identifies warning signs, including transactions inconsistent with a customer’s known income or business, unexplained transfers involving third parties, and the movement of funds through multiple accounts without an apparent legitimate purpose.

Fraudsters also exploit stolen identification details, impersonation and social engineering to gain access to mobile money accounts or manipulate victims into authorising transfers.

A 2023 study on communication technology crimes and offences in Kenya by the National Police Service’s Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau found that identity theft and impersonation were among the most commonly reported categories of ICT crime in its survey.

Some 71.5 per cent of respondents reported experiencing identity theft or impersonation, while 72.9 per cent reported computer fraud and 57.3 per cent reported the interception of electronic messages or money transfers.

Safaricom has separately warned customers against fake reversal instructions, fraudulent messages and callers who impersonate the company’s staff to obtain personal information or manipulate transactions.

Follow ourWhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.