A Nairobi court on Tuesday charged a Chinese national working with a betting firm for allegedly stealing Sh9.2 million from his employer.

Xiao Kexian denied the charges when he was arraigned in Kibera and was remanded at the Industrial Area Remand and Allocation Prison pending a probation report on him.

This was after the prosecution told the court that he was evading court appearances. 

The court fixed October 22, 2024, as the date for mentioning directions on the bail application.

According to the charge sheet, Xiao Kexian is said to have on diverse dates between June 1, 2024, and July 31, 2024, at an unknown place in Nairobi county within the Republic of Kenya, jointly with others not before the court, stole cash Sh9,225,312 (Nine million, two hundred and twenty-five thousand, three hundred and twelve Kenya shillings) the property of Anne Wangare Kinyungo.

Police had been looking for the suspect for days to face the charges before he was arrested on Monday.

The said stealing happened at a betting company that the businesswoman runs in the city.

She lodged a complaint and the police investigated the case and established that the Chinese man who was an employee there allegedly used other workers to commit the offence.

The other workers have been listed as witnesses in the case.

The suspect was shocked when the court ruled he be remanded to wait for his probation report.

He shouted saying he would not escape the court process while pleading to be released.

His pleas were however not heard as he was led to the court cells waiting for his transportation to remand.

Police say they are still investigating the saga and more suspects may be charged as the probe progresses.

They said such complaints have been on the rise in the industry with most of the cases still under probe.