On Thursday, the Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court convicted private investigator Simon Titus Yandi for soliciting and accepting a bribe.
Yandi, the Director of Swift Tracing and Company Limited, was found guilty of demanding Kes. 30,000 from businessman Peter Rukuwa Chege. In return, Yandi promised not to charge Chege with crimes related to the sale of alleged counterfeit books.
Court documents show that Brand-ID Technologies Africa had hired Yandi to conduct surveillance and identify key suppliers and booksellers involved in counterfeiting, which violated the Kenya Publishers Association’s rights. Even after his contract expired, Yandi continued to solicit bribes while falsely claiming to conduct investigations.
In addition to the bribery charges, the court found Yandi guilty of currency mutilation under Section 367A of the Penal Code. Prosecuting Counsel Linda Otieno revealed that Yandi had torn six Kes. 1,000 notes, which were part of the Kes. 30,000 bribe used as evidence.
Principal Magistrate Isabellah Barasa determined that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, based on testimony from 15 witnesses.
The court deemed Yandi’s actions a clear violation of the Bribery Act No. 47 of 2016. It suspended his bond terms and ordered him to remain in custody until sentencing.
The court will announce Yandi’s sentence on Monday, following Otieno’s request for time to present Yandi’s prior criminal record.
