G4s and airline managers questioned over Sh150m theft

By Cyrus Ombati

Top managers of British Airways and the G4S Security Services have been questioned in connection with the loss of Sh150 million that was on transit to the Netherlands via London.

The managers were questioned on diverse dates last week at CID headquarters and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Sources said the investigators want to know how and where the money was stolen from. The Sh150 million was part of Sh300 million on transit to the Netherlands. A team of foreign investigators and a businessman, who was to receive the money, arrived in the country on Wednesday night to help with investigations.

The investigators have, so far, been unable to pinpoint where the money was stolen even after questioning those who handled the cargo.

G4S Managing Director Jack Muchira insists the money had left their hands when it went missing.

"The incident has affected the staff morale but we are picking up and moving on," he says.

The money, which was in US dollars, was destined for Amsterdam.

An unnamed businessman in Nairobi used G4S as a courier company to dispatch $4 million, equivalent to Sh300 million, last Thursday but the receiver found half the money missing.

The money was packed at a bank in the city and later delivered to the G4S offices along Lusaka Road.

From the G4S offices, the cash was escorted to JKIA.

It was the person who received the consignment who realised the seal had been tampered with and $2 million stolen.

Muchira said they received instructions to deliver a cargo consignment to a contracted airline and packaged it as a vault.

"G4S (Kenya) handed over the secured cargo to the airline security staff who received and signed for receipt of the consignment. At this point G4S handed over its responsibility over the cargo to the airline," said Muchira.

He said the cargo might have been interfered with before its arrival at its destination.

"One Value Cargo Box had different seals from what had been applied," said Muchira.

The incident came days after a group of G4S personnel and Administration Police officers who were escorting Sh22 million to the airport disappeared with the cash.

The money was destined for Juba in Southern Sudan when it was stolen on November 6.

This particular incident happened two months after another heist of Sh34 million involving the same company and police at Yaya Centre, Nairobi.

Both cases are still before court.

Key words: G4S Security Services; G4S; Jack Muchira; Sh22 million; CID

G4s and airline managers questioned over Sh150m theft

By Cyrus Ombati

Top managers of British Airways and the G4S Security Services have been questioned in connection with the loss of Sh150 million that was on transit to the Netherlands via London.

The managers were questioned on diverse dates last week at CID headquarters and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Sources said the investigators want to know how and where the money was stolen from. The Sh150 million was part of Sh300 million on transit to the Netherlands. A team of foreign investigators and a businessman, who was to receive the money, arrived in the country on Wednesday night to help with investigations.

The investigators have, so far, been unable to pinpoint where the money was stolen even after questioning those who handled the cargo.

G4S Managing Director Jack Muchira insists the money had left their hands when it went missing.

"The incident has affected the staff morale but we are picking up and moving on," he says.

The money, which was in US dollars, was destined for Amsterdam.

An unnamed businessman in Nairobi used G4S as a courier company to dispatch $4 million, equivalent to Sh300 million, last Thursday but the receiver found half the money missing.

The money was packed at a bank in the city and later delivered to the G4S offices along Lusaka Road.

From the G4S offices, the cash was escorted to JKIA.

It was the person who received the consignment who realised the seal had been tampered with and $2 million stolen.

Muchira said they received instructions to deliver a cargo consignment to a contracted airline and packaged it as a vault.

"G4S (Kenya) handed over the secured cargo to the airline security staff who received and signed for receipt of the consignment. At this point G4S handed over its responsibility over the cargo to the airline," said Muchira.

He said the cargo might have been interfered with before its arrival at its destination.

"One Value Cargo Box had different seals from what had been applied," said Muchira.

The incident came days after a group of G4S personnel and Administration Police officers who were escorting Sh22 million to the airport disappeared with the cash.

The money was destined for Juba in Southern Sudan when it was stolen on November 6.

This particular incident happened two months after another heist of Sh34 million involving the same company and police at Yaya Centre, Nairobi.

Both cases are still before court.