Economy

Barclays sued over loss of Sh6.3 million

bbk

Barclays building in Nairobi. Photo/FILE

A Nakuru resident has sued a local bank for the loss of Sh6.3 million allegedly wired from Europe to cater for education and living expenses for destitute children.

Josephine Nyokabi Wanjiku and her Icelandic benefactor, Gunnar Hallsson, want Barclays Bank ordered to pay back the money plus interest at the current commercial rates.
In suit papers filed before the High Court, Ms Nyokabi claims a bank employee swapped her names and used her details to open an account to which the money was sent and then withdrawn.

Ms Wanjiku said the account was opened at the bank’s Queensway Branch in Nairobi with a Malindi address. The alleged holder bears a Ugandan passport identification.

She said she had forwarded her details to Barclays Bank Nakuru West branch with the intention of opening an account where Mr Hallsson would send the money.

She said the staff, known to her as Dennis, told her that she would get an account opening confirmation certificate in three days, but she eventually got it after more than two weeks.

She claimed Dennis used her email messages to get updates on the impending deposits from the sponsor before opening an account in the name of Josephine Wanjiku Nyokabi and passing it to Mr Hallsson.