Officer in trouble for defrauding job seeker

The prison officer at Nakuru GK Prison obtained the money fraudulently on July 25, 2022. [iStockphoto]

Nakuru Small Claims Court has lifted a warrant of arrest against a senior prison warder accused of defrauding her neighbour of Sh840,000 under the pretext of securing him a job.

Resident Magistrate Edwin Oboge had issued a warrant of arrest against Viola Chumo after failing to pay Richard Bungei Sh930,000 in May.

The court heard that Chumo, a prison officer at Nakuru GK Prison, had obtained the money fraudulently on July 25, 2022.

The money was facilitation to recruit Bungei as a trainee warder. She acknowledged receiving the cash but pleaded with the court not to be arrested since her job was at stake.

Chumo was to refund the amount in two installments, on September 30 and November 30, 2022, but failed.

Bungei was awarded Sh930,000 following court intervention.

An affidavit filed in court by Bungei lawyer David Mongeri indicated that he instructed Direct "o" Auctioneers to proceed with attaching her car on January 27, 2023.

"On January 31, 2023, the auctioneers proceeded to the defendant work station at Nakuru where she is a senior warder. She was issued with proclamation notice and warrant of attachment," Mongeri noted.

The lawyer explained that the warder evaded justice by frustrating the auctioneers by using her position to hide the car from station to another.

Chumo later filed a notice of motion seeking stay orders for execution of the judgment for her to liquidate the money in monthly installments from October 31 until it is settled.

She further explained she was willing to pay Bungei as ordered by court. "Unless execution of the said judgment and decree is stayed, the applicant will be arrested and committed to civil jail, which will in turn lead to her losing her job, which is her main source of income," read the affidavit.