My wife plotted to steal Sh5,000 from account

By NDERITU GICHURE

Nyeri, Kenya: A 26-year-old man Thursday told a Nyeri court how his estranged wife conspired with a man to withdraw Sh5,000 from his account at Equity Bank.

Paul Guandaru Gitonga told Nyeri Principal Magistrate Susan Ngungi how his wife of six years attempted to withdraw money from his account before a cashier detected the attempted theft.

Rachael Wairimu Wambugu and Godfrey Gitahi Njagi were charged that on October 19, 2013, at Kinoo village in Nairobi County, they stole one national identity card and an Equity temporary account card belonging to Gitonga.

Gitonga, who is a mechanic, told the court they started having differences four years into their marriage.

“My wife had disappeared from our matrimonial home following a domestic disagreement,” he said.

The father of one said they separated briefly and even shared properties.

He said the chief had instructed them not to talk to each other, but she returned after three months.

He said they later relocated to Nairobi where their differences arose once again.

“She left for one week and came back when I was at work and left the baby behind and disappeared,’’ Gitonga said.

He said that on November 2, he received a telephone call from Equity Bank, Nyeri branch, inquiring whether he had sent someone to withdraw Sh5,000 from his account.

He said he had not and  went straight home only to find his ID and bank account cards missing.

“I was shocked to find the documents missing before I called the bank and instructed the manager to detain the documents,’’ he said.

The two were later arrested and taken to Nyeri police station. The hearing continues.

Meanwhile, a senior public health officer in Nakuru has been arrested for allegedly stealing a Government motorbike.

Njoro District Public Health Officer Mathew Kore was arrested and held at the Njoro police station before being handed over to officers at the Nakuru Criminal Investigations Department.

The officer is accused of stealing a Government motorbike Yamaha GK A 576X.

Health officers discovered the motorbike was missing as they launched the polio immunisation campaign early this  month.