Woman in court for stealing nephew’s academic certificates and cash
A 44-year-old woman has been charged with stealing her nephew’s academic documents and Sh62,000 at his house in Blue Estate within Kamukunji sub county in Nairobi.
Esther Otete is accused of stealing a birth certificate and a Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, contrary to section 279 (b) of the penal code.
Other documents she is accused of stealing include a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, Kisii University transcript and a degree certificate belonging to her nephew George Momanyi at his dwelling house on October 11, 2022.
Ms Otete has also been charged with handling stolen goods contrary to section 322 (1) as read with section 322 (2) of the penal code after she was allegedly found with all the academic documents belonging to Mr Momanyi at her employer’s house in Fedha Estate in Embakasi.
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She is accused of dishonestly retaining the documents belonging to Mr Momanyi knowing or having reasons to believe them to be stolen property at the time of her arrest on April 30, 2023.
Ms Otete had visited her nephew at his house where she stayed for a week while on treatment at a city hospital. Mr Momanyi would leave her at his house as he went to work.
On October 10, 2023, he withdrew Sh62,000 which he kept in a bag containing his academic certificates. He intended to use the money for his business and left the house the next day as usual.
The accused person later called him the same day and told him that she was leaving. Mr Momanyi returned to the house in the afternoon and found his aunt missing.
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He checked and found the cash and academic certificates missing. Mr Momanyi made a call to his aunt but her phone had been switched off.
She later picked the call and informed him that she took the documents because he had not compensated her for educating him.
Mr Momanyi reported the matter at the Shauri Moyo Police Station and Ms Otete was summoned but she failed to present herself to the station. She was later traced and arrested at her employer’s house.
The accused denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Eric Mutunga of Makadara Law Courts and was released on a bond of Sh80,000.
The case will be mentioned on June 5, 2023 before hearing starts on September 5, 2023.