WhatsUp News has learnt that the National Investment Bank (NIB) has begun processes to pay the 2million pounds that it virtually purloined from one of its customers, Mr. Gordon Lotsu.
Sources from within the bank have confirmed that the bank has started engagement with Mr. Lotsu, including asking him to ready his lawyers for the payment transaction.
It is not clear if the bank has any intention of paying the interest that has naturally accrued on the money since 2016 when it was transferred by the Kenyan government to the account of Mr. Lotsu.
While domiciled in Kenya, Gordon Lotsu had suffered human rights abuse and had sued over the abuse.
His suit had resulted in an award of 2million pounds that was paid to him by the UK government through the Kenyan government in a special arrangement.
However, after the money was transferred, the NIB refused to give him access to the money with the excuse he could not show Payment Advice even though the Kenyan government had duly communicated the details with the bank.
Mr. Lotsu did not have the payment advice because some hackers had managed to access his email and stolen it after it was sent him by the Kenyan government.
The Kenya government would later confirm the payment and make available another payment advice. However, somehow, the NIB refused to pay him the money.
In almost five years, Mr. Lotsu was frustrated by his bank and at a point branded a mad man by the very people who were sitting on his money.
In January this year, the Imperial Bank of Kenya, through which the Kenyan government had transferred the money, sued the NIB and gotten judgment at the Milimani Magistrate court which ordered Kenya’s Attorney General to liaise with his counterpart in Ghana to ensure the money is paid.
It is after this judgment that the NIB is now, reportedly, hurriedly preparing to pay the money to Mr. Lotsu, the same man that had once been branded a mad man.
Meanwhile, the almost five years that the NIB had sat on the money stirs up questions. There is a strong suspicion that some faceless people had possibly hijacked the money in an attempt to steal it. NIB has denied that claim and threatened WhatsUp News over a teaser that had been published on the issue.
Also, in the time that the money was in the custody of the NIB, it most likely had been invested and would have accrued immense returns on investment during the time. It is unclear if Mr. Lotsu will press for the interest on his money.
