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Ex-DTB managers charged with Sh149m theft from customer account
Former DTB Bank managers Salimah Ameen Pirbhai (right) and Aabid Kassam at the Milimani Law Courts, where they were charged with stealing more than Sh149 million from a customer's account. They denied the 68 charges. They were charged alongside Tazim Sidi Vassanji (left).
Photo credit: Richard Munguti | Nation Media Group
Two former managers of DTB Bank and a third suspect were on Tuesday charged with stealing more than Sh149.3 million from a customer’s account in a scheme that allegedly ran for several years.
Salimah Ameen Pirbhai, the former DTB Parklands branch manager, Aabid Alkarim Kassam, the former assistant branch manager, and Tazim Sidi Vassanji were arraigned before a Milimani court facing a total of 68 counts, including conspiracy to defraud, stealing, money laundering and forgery.
The prosecution alleges that between 2016 and 2020, the trio fraudulently withdrew funds from Great Britain Pounds account belonging to Rozina Nurdin Patelia.
The court heard that investigations into the alleged theft began in July 2025 and that the accused cooperated with officers from the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit.
Fraud charges
In the first count, the three are accused of conspiring to steal £233,270.14 (about Sh40.6 million) from Ms Patelia’s account between July 5, 2019 and March 26, 2020 at DTB’s Parklands branch.
Pirbhai, 55, was separately charged with stealing Sh39.6 million from the bank on June 4, 2025 while serving as branch manager.
She, Kassam, 43, and Vassanji, 57, also face a joint charge of stealing £233,270.17 from Ms Patelia’s account between July 5, 2019 and June 26, 2020.
Kassam faces the bulk of the charges. He is accused of stealing Sh58.2 million from the same account between October 31, 2016 and April 5, 2018, and a further Sh10.9 million between June 14, 2019 and October 4, 2021 while serving as assistant manager at the Parklands branch.
The prosecution further alleges that the three engaged in money laundering by acquiring and retaining £233,270.17, knowing or having reason to believe that the funds were proceeds of crime.
Kassam was separately charged with retaining Sh58.2 million and Sh10.9 million allegedly obtained through fraudulent transactions.
Forgery counts
According to the charge sheet, Kassam made a false instruction letter dated June 5, 2019, purporting that it had been authored by Ms Patelia and authorising cash withdrawals from her account.
The Director of Public Prosecutions further alleges that the three forged another instruction letter dated June 9, 2019, claiming it had been issued by the account holder to authorise withdrawals.
Pirbhai is accused of preparing a fake bank statement on June 10, 2025 for the account and later uttering the document with intent to deceive.
Kassam also faces several forgery-related charges. He allegedly forged withdrawal slips for GBP 8,500 and GBP 8,700 in June 2019 and is accused of generating fraudulent withdrawal documents amounting to more than GBP 7.6 million.
In addition, he allegedly created false email instructions purporting to have been sent by Ms Patelia authorising the liquidation of multiple fixed deposits valued at millions of shillings between 2016 and 2018.
Bond terms
The accused sought release on bond, arguing that they had fully cooperated with investigators and were not flight risks.
“I urge the court to release the accused on bond as they have cooperated with investigators since July 2025 when the probe into the alleged theft of funds from the complainant began,” a defence lawyer submitted.
The court heard that the three had earlier been released on police cash bail of Sh100,000 and had never failed to attend questioning sessions.
The defence further argued that the accused were in poor health and had no intention of leaving the country.
“I urge this court to consider releasing the accused on a cash bail of Sh100,000.”
The prosecution did not oppose their release but urged the court to consider the substantial sums involved in the alleged fraud.
In a brief ruling, the court noted that the accused had complied with investigation requirements while on police bond.
The court released Kassam on a bond of Sh2 million or an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000. Pirbhai and Vassanji were each released on a bond of Sh1 million or an alternative cash bail of Sh300,000.
The magistrate directed the prosecution to supply witness statements and documentary evidence to the defence.
The case will be mentioned on June 17, 2026 for directions and to confirm compliance with disclosure requirements before hearing dates are set.
