A recent discussion on X has drawn attention to customer experiences with I&M Bank Kenya after concerns were raised by Ouma Neko and later shared by George Njoroge. The discussion has sparked debate about how banks handle customer funds, communication, and trust, especially when large amounts of money are involved.
According to Ouma Neko, he had been banking with I&M Bank for several years and had handled transactions worth between 7 million and 13 million Kenyan shillings during the year. He explained that in December, after withdrawing 2 million shillings from his business account, the bank froze the remaining balance of close to 5 million shillings.
This happened at a difficult time when he needed money for end-year expenses and school fees. He said the freeze came without clear notice, which left him confused and stressed.
Ouma Neko stated that the bank asked him to provide proof of the source of his funds. He said he complied and even allowed the bank to confirm the information directly with the source.
Despite this, he claims the issue was not resolved quickly, and the delay affected both his personal life and business operations. He added that he later involved a lawyer in an effort to understand what was happening and to push for access to his money.
According to his account, he was later contacted by someone who asked him to attend a meeting. During that meeting, he claims he was told that he needed to give up 30 percent of his remaining balance in order to regain full access to his account. He said that although his account was later reopened, the experience left him feeling mistreated and disappointed.
He warned others to be careful, saying the incident had damaged his trust in the bank.
George Njoroge later shared and commented on Ouma Neko’s story, saying he was interested in how I&M Bank would respond to the serious concerns raised.
He questioned why the bank did not clearly involve authorities such as the Central Bank of Kenya or the Directorate of Criminal Investigations if there were genuine concerns about the source of funds.
He felt the response given by the bank lacked detail and did not fully address the situation. He also raised concerns about possible bias, suggesting that Ouma Neko may have been unfairly judged based on assumptions.
George called for accountability, a proper investigation, and fair treatment for the customer.
In response, I&M Bank stated through its official account that it takes such claims seriously and does not charge customers to access their own money. The bank said it does not support misconduct and explained that it had requested more details in order to investigate the matter fully.
In another response, the bank added that it does not engage in extortion and that it was working directly with the account holder to resolve the issue.
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