NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 16 – Monica Muli Wambua was considered a model employee by her Employer Saidi Kombo Rajab having worked for him as a house help for a couple of years.
Her industriousness and loyalty were described as some of the alluring traits that endeared her to those she interacted with.
The events of October 24, 2020, at her work station in Nairobi’s South B neighbourhood, had everyone gasping in shock after it became apparent that she broke one of her employer’s sacred rules, committing an act of theft.
Wambua is said to have upon her employer Rajab’s absence, proceeded to his bedroom and stole Sh1 million which had been kept inside his wardrobe.
Rajab told the court that the accused had full access to his house and had apparently discovered his savings, which were stored inside a KFC khaki envelope and subsequently covered by a curtain cloth.
While testifying in court, Rajab said who works in the clearing and forwarding business revealed that he had been saving money in order to pay for his daughter’s university education in South Africa.
On the fateful day, he had left his home leaving the accused undertaking her home chores. The court was informed that Wambua worked six days a week between 8 am to 6 pm.
While in Kitegela at his chicken farm, Rajab is said to have attempted to reach Wambua on phone in order to inform her to complete a task for him. Unable to reach her, he decided to return home only to find his house completely under lock and key.
His keys were also missing.
Rajab who often lives alone is then said to have called his elder son in order to break into his home after realising something was not okay. After gaining access, he then went straight to his room and discovered his Sh1 million savings was missing.
The matter was shortly after reported to the police with the priority being tracking down the accused.
A manhunt by police initially proved futile after it was established that the accused had relocated from her Migwani home in Mwingi, Kitui county.
Sources close to investigating officers, however, led them to Madogo area on the border of Garissa and Tana River county where she was arrested.
Wambua was arrested alongside her brother with police confiscating Sh70,000 in cash hidden inside her one-bedroom house.
They are then said to have led police to their father’s home in Kalia area of Kitui where Sh700,000 was also recovered.
While being arraigned, she however denied that the money belonged to her former employer, saying that the Sh70,000 recovered at her house was money obtained from the sale of a cow while the Sh700,000 was donations they had received from a fundraiser to facilitate treatment for her father.
Her father and brother had been cited as witnesses in the case.
After several hearings, Senior Principal magistrate Esther Kimilu while passing the sentence said the prosecution had proved their case beyond any reasonable doubt against the accused person.
“She admitted that she had access to the complainant’s entire house including his bedroom since he was not living with his wife and children although they would visit once in a while,” said the magistrate in her judgment.
Justice Kimilu however said that the court also relied on circumstantial evidence produced by prosecution and defence witnesses to reach its decision.
She refuted the accuser’s father and brother’s testimonies that the respective monies were obtained from the sale of a cow and fundraiser in specific.
They claimed to have held a fundraiser on May 17, 2020, which raised Sh700,000. Justice Kimilu however dismissed the claims saying that the country was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and that such a public gathering could not have taken place.
“This court takes judicial notice of the Covid19 pandemic which hit the country in February 2020. The country went to total lockdown with all gatherings banned for almost a year,” said Justice Kimilu.
The court also cited the lack of fundraising documents or cards as one of the reasons she dismissed their defence.
The accused, her father and brother are further said to have attempted to rehearse their narrative as, during a cross-examination, they could not explain how the funds were truly obtained.
“They told lies in a court of law through the sworn affidavit,” she said.
Wambua was slapped with a two-year jail sentence. She was however also given an alternative fine of Sh200,000.
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