Duo in trouble over M-Pesa fraud allegations

By Edwin Cheserek

Two men were arraigned before an Iten court for allegedly extorting money fro the public while masquerading as officials of an international NGO.

Mathew Kibiwott Kipkoech and Rono Kiplagat were accused of obtaining money through false pretence on December 8 at Iten township jointly with others not before court

The court heard that they obtained Sh3,025 from Margaret Chepkemoi Chirchir by pretending to be employees of Mercy Corps.

Prosecutor Tom Chitira told the court that the accused asked the complainant to send the said amount via M-Pesa so that she can be registered as a beneficiary of the NGO and subsequently factored in to receive some money.

The unsuspecting woman, Chitira added, obliged and sent the specified amount to the accused she said were familiar to her.

After several days of waiting, Ms Chirchir tried to call the mobile number she had been given but to her shock it had been switched off.

Anxiety gripped her and reported the matter to the chief’s office only to learn that several complaints had been brought against the same individuals.

They were arrested and frog-marched to Iten Police Station. When they appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Beatrice Mosiria, Kiplagat admitted committing the offence while Kipkoech denied.

Kipkoech was released on Sh40,000 bond with a surety of the same amount or Sh20,000 cash bail until March 24, next year, when the case will be heard.