Murang’a: A 37-year-old petrol attendant was on Monday sentenced to serve a three-year non-custodial sentence by a Murang’a court after he was found guilty of embezzling Sh1.1 million belonging to his employer. Anthony Kinyua Mwangi was accused of embezzling Sh1,113,934 from the Astrol Petrol station on diverse dates between March 5, 2019, and January 2, 2021.
According to Kenya News Agency, the prosecution claims that the money came into his possession by virtue of his position at the company. The accused, who was entrusted with handling financial transactions, allegedly siphoned the funds while serving as a clerk. The matter came to light following an internal audit that revealed discrepancies in the accounts.
In court, prosecution witnesses testified that Kinyua manipulated the company’s transaction systems by over-debiting customers who paid via credit cards and M-Pesa. The offenses reportedly occurred when the station manager was away or on leave, during which Kinyua had access to the company’s safe. James Mwangi, Director of Astrol Petroleum Company, testified about the irregularities discovered in transaction records, particularly overcharging customers.
Another witness, Jane Mukami, a human resource consultant, explained Kinyua’s history of poor performance at work and mentioned issuing him a formal warning that was not heeded. In his defense, the accused denied involvement in the alleged theft, stating he was not responsible for managing the two key financial records.
Resident Magistrate Amelia Awino, in her ruling, said the court was satisfied with the evidence presented, stating the allegations against Kinyua were proven beyond reasonable doubt. Kinyua expressed remorse and offered to compensate the complainant, pleading for leniency due to his family responsibilities.
According to the probation report tabled before the court, Kinyua was described as a first-time offender with a good reputation in the community. The probation officer recommended a non-custodial sentence, taking into account his family responsibilities and previous responsible behavior. The magistrate granted a three-year non-custodial sentence with a six-month probation period.
