Rugby star Dennis Ombachi loses phone, mobile money
Kenya’s star rugby player Dennis Ombachi has shared details on how he lost his phone and moments later had money wiped from his mobile money accounts.
In a series of tweets, Ombachi claims his phone was snatched from him as he was using it in Nairobi.
This morning simu imeenda na watu wa Boda while requesting a boda right outside an embassy. This life balance 😂ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
— dennis ombachi OLY (@ombachi13) June 24, 2022
The player, remembered for his heroics during the International Sevens Rugby circuit, claims he would later call the service provider to block the line, only to be told that money has been stolen from his account.
Plot twist, phone stolen around 10:30, called @SafaricomPLC around 12:30 to have the sim blocked. Replacing the sim today I am told they already cleared my M Pesa balance na waka Fuliza apparently using a USSD code, not my pin.
Hapo kwa Mpesa ndio character development 😠https://t.co/gAghj27Eyu— dennis ombachi OLY (@ombachi13) June 25, 2022
Also when replacing the line after it was re activated, the attendant called and the number still went through, how does one even withdraw money from your Mpesa without a pin ðŸ˜
— dennis ombachi OLY (@ombachi13) June 25, 2022
They had already made the Mpesa transactions before I called and had the sim blocked. Good thing is that my fuliza limit was 1500😂😂
— dennis ombachi OLY (@ombachi13) June 25, 2022
Ombachi was unavailable for comment when Nairobi News reached out. It is not clear whether he had reported the theft to Police.
The Kenya Sevens legend is mostly remembered for his explosive run to score a last-minute try to help Kenya 7s beat Zimbabwe 21-17 and qualify for the Olympics in 2016.
The father of two in an interview disclosed that he started off playing rugby while as a student in high school.
Having suffered a blow to his career at the 2016 Olympics after breaking both his leg and ankle at a point where he was at his peak, Ombachi would later be diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Being on the road to recovery from the injuries, Ombachi did not participate in the Rugby World Cup and explained to his coach who understood his plight.
The athlete would later find something to engage in aside from rugby, including cooking and sharing the tips on social media.
“I am really glad that I sort of discovered social media which is actually a means of earning money from the brand which I have built for years,” he says.
Mobile money related theft has been on the rise in recent times.
In the most recent cases, a man was shocked to learn that a sim card registered under his ID card had transacted more than Sh2.7million six months.