Barclays Bank Kenya under investigation over $20 million fake currency

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating Barclays Bank Kenya over $20 million fake currency found stashed at a client's safe deposit box in its Queensway branch in Nairobi, CBD.

This was after the Kenyan Flying Squad accompanied by DCI officers stormed the bank's branch on Tuesday and camped there following reports that a customer had brought in a large amount of fake money.

George Kinoti, the head of DCI confirmed that $20 million had been found in a client's safe deposit box.

Following the developments that temporarily disrupted the bank's operations for hours, three suspects including one foreigner and two Kenyans were arrested.

In a statement on its twitter account, Barclays Bank Kenya said, "A customer who holds personal safe deposit box at our Queensway branch was this morning intercepted by police at the branch. Police are currently investigating the contents of his safe deposit box. We are assisting the authorities to investigate this matter fully."

Later, the banks released a press statement confirming that police had arrested the customer allegedly to be the owner of the safe box for further questioning.

"The customer had concealed fake currency in his personal safe deposit box against the bank's rules and regulations which include restrictions of items which can be held in the safe deposit box," the statement said.

The statement further confirmed that Barclays Bank in the usual course of business offers safe deposit boxes.

"The contents of personal safe deposit boxes are not part of the bank's deposits and are only known to the client. We continue to fully cooperate and assist the authorities with this investigation," the statement read.

This comes barely a month after $320 million cash was seized in a residential house in Kiambu County's Ruiru area, north of Nairobi.

The cash that included Kenya shillings, euros, dollars and pounds had been stacked in at least 20 metallic boxes. Following this three people were arrested and charged in court.