How fraudsters access M-Pesa accounts of unsuspecting Kenyans

ELDORET, KENYA: Three people have been separately charged in an Eldoret Court for stealing over Sh100, 000 from M-Pesa accounts of unsuspecting individuals.

In the first matter, Karoli Sum, a resident of Kapseret in Uasin Gishu County was arraigned before High Court Deputy Registrar Mildred Munyekenye for stealing Sh31, 000 from Lilian Chepkoech's account.

Sum was accused of committing the offense on March 14 in Kapseret before disappearing. He was arrested on March 23 in Kapsabet, Nandi County.

Charge details indicated that on the material day, Sum had gone to have a meal at a café owned by Chepkoech when he volunteered to transfer music to the latter's phone, but used the opportunity to secretly transfer money to his account.

“The accused person is reported to have requested for the M-Pesa pin of the complainant lying that he wanted to use the secret number to activate the transferred music only to get to her account and transfer the money,” said the prosecutor.

Sum who pleaded guilty to the offense acknowledged that he transferred the money to his mobile phone number which he had registered using his mother's number.

The accused was convicted on his own plea of guilt and pleaded with the court to forgive him stating that he was a first offender and had agreed to pay the complainant.

Ms Munyekenye however turned down the request saying that his intention deserved punishment.

“I have considered your mitigation seeking for forgiveness and that you are a first offender but it is clear that you betrayed the trust of the complainant and took advantage of it to steal from her. You will serve one year in jail for the wrong intention,” said Munyekenye.

Sum faced a second count of threatening to kill Maureen Chebet through a text message.

Sum is reported to have written a text message stating: “Mwaka Moja nakuhakikishia ujichunge hujui siku yako, nitakuua( Be cautious in the coming one year, you do not know when I will kill you).”

He denied the charge.

Ms Munyekenye directed the accused to seek bailout terms from the trial court if he completes his sentence on the first before the second matter is not concluded.

In another case of MPesa fraud, Joan Chepkemoi was charged with stealing Sh6, 070 from  Norah Chepngetich's account on February 22 in collusion with another person not before the court.

Chepkemoi is alleged to have defrauded Chepngetich on pretense that he could activate her new mobile phone line which he had sold to her.

“Details indicate that together with your accomplice were in Peris Estate in Edloret East pretending to be selling mobile phone SIM cards. You approached the complainant and sold her a SIM card at Sh30 but she realized it was not working when she inserted it in her phone,” read the prosecutor.

The two are reported to have taken her Safaricom line and inserted it in a phone while claiming that they wanted to activate the new SIM card.

The complainant gave out her Pin number after the accused, who were dressed in Telkom-Kenya t-shirts convinced her line could only be activated through her m-pesa secret code.

Unsuspectingly, the complainant shared her MPesa Pin with the two suspects hoping for the activation of the line. The line did not work and the two referred her to the customer care centre in Eldoret town.

“When the complainant reinserted her mobile phone she received a message that Sh6, 070 she had in her MPesa account had been transferred to an unknown number prompting her to scream and alert the public that she had been conned…” continued the prosecutor.

The court was told that Chepkemoi’s accomplice on sensing danger hiked a motorbike and disappeared. The former was arrested and held at Kapsoya Police Post.

Efforts to plead for lenient bailout terms failed as Ms Munyekenye directed her to pay Sh50, 000 with same surety amount or alternatively Sh20, 000 cash bail.

In the third matter Benjamin Kimaru of Kamwosor village in Keiyo South was charged with stealing Sh70, 000 from his employer Florence Chepsegon on diverse dates between October 2017 and February 27, 2018.

Kimaru acknowledged the allegations of transferring the amount to his account, explaining that he chose to do so as payment for his eight years’ unpaid salary.

“I was employed by the complainant in 2009 and have served her for eight years and nine months. Last year in June when I wanted to quit due to lack of payment she only paid me Sh4, 900 through M-Pesa and Sh5000 cash,” said Kimaru.

The accused person went ahead to tell the court he had diligently and honestly served Chepsegon for the period but lack of reciprocation from his employer made him opt for an unethical settlement.

“I knew her M-Pesa pin and Equity Bank account details and PIN because she used to occasionally ask me to transfer money from the latter account to her phone through an Equitel line. I just transferred what I felt was my rightful due,” said Kimaru.

Ms Munyekenye directed the accused be remanded until April 16 awaiting production of a probation report.