This archive report was first published on 8 July 2021.
Published on July 8, 2021, a court in Rwanda handed down jail terms to eight Kenyans accused of attempting to hack Equity Bank systems.
The group of 12 suspects, including the eight Kenyans, was arrested by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) in 2019 following investigations into a series of hacking attempts.
The Kenyans handed jail terms include Dedan Muchoki Muriuki, Samuel Wachira Nyuguto, Kinyua Erickson Macharia, Godfrey Gachiri Githinji, Eric Dickson Njagi Mutegi, Reuben Kirogothi Mwangi, Damaris Njeri Kamau, and Steve Maina Wambugu.
According to Rwandese media, the suspects were also fined Rwf50 million (Sh5.3 million) in damages and about Rwf3 million (Sh322,000) for other charges.
The group is alleged to have initially hacked Equity Bank systems in Kenya and Uganda, getting onto the radar of security agencies in the region before they ventured into Rwanda.
They were accused of working with bank insiders to identify accounts with large deposits which were then targeted, with computer scripts written to move money to accounts of their accomplices who would make withdrawals.
Security officials in Rwanda had, however, already been notified of the group's activities and acted to shut down the operation.
As noted by Rwandese publication Taarifa Rwanda, the court tendered the verdict on the five charges: unauthorized access to a computer or a computer system data, access to data with intent to commit an offense, unauthorized modification of computer or computer system data, theft, and formation of or joining a criminal association.
