Murang’a: A Murang’a court has sentenced a middle-aged woman to one year of imprisonment after finding her guilty of stealing Sh30,000 from her sister-in-law’s Mpesa account. Her nephew, who was co-accused, received a two-year non-custodial sentence after expressing remorse and regret for his actions.
According to Kenya News Agency, Joyce Njoki and Joseph Maina were charged with the theft of Sh30,000 from Freshia Wanjiru on January 23, 2025, at Kahatia shopping centre in Kahuro sub-county, Murang’a. Court testimonies revealed that the two colluded to withdraw the money by pretending to assist Wanjiru in registering with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Wanjiru testified that she had tried to register for SHA unsuccessfully until Njoki and Maina offered their help. Maina reportedly removed Wanjiru’s sim card, claiming her phone had poor network, and used it in his device. He also asked for personal details, including her identification card number, under the pretext that they were needed for SHA registration.
The accused, with assistance from Njoki, managed to withdraw Sh20,000 from a local Mpesa agent and another Sh10,000 from a different agent. The agents, familiar with Njoki and Maina, testified that the duo collected the money later.
Upon discovering the missing funds, Wanjiru reported the incident to Kiria Police Post, leading to the arrest of the suspects. Police examination of Maina’s phone revealed he had accessed Wanjiru’s Mpesa PIN when purchasing mobile data bundles on her behalf. He had also mirrored her Mpesa account onto his device, enabling remote withdrawals before deleting the app.
In mitigation, Maina pleaded for leniency, admitting to the offense and expressing remorse. He informed the court of his status as a casual laborer with dependents and promised to repay the stolen money in installments. Chief Magistrate Ndwiga granted him a two-year probation, acknowledging his willingness to reconcile and remorseful attitude.
Njoki, however, maintained her innocence, claiming she was framed. The court noted her probation report depicted her as unremorseful, deceitful about family circumstances, and unwilling to accept responsibility. Local administrators described her as a serious criminal, irresponsible, and a habitual drunkard prone to violence.
Citing her lack of remorse and poor social record, the magistrate sentenced her to one year in jail without an option for a fine.