Elizabeth Wanjiru, a businesswoman, has been accused of withholding Sh392,000 that was erroneously sent to her M-Pesa agent number by a bank employee. The incident occurred when Frida Wangechi, an employee at Equity Bank, mistakenly transferred the sum twice, totaling Sh784,000.
Ms. Wangechi immediately notified her superiors and requested assistance in retrieving the excess funds, but the reversal was unsuccessful. Ms. Wanjiru was advised not to withdraw the money, as the bank planned to pursue legal action against Safaricom. However, upon inquiry, Safaricom reported that the funds were no longer available in Ms. Wanjiru's account.
Ms. Wanjiru allegedly became unreachable after switching off her phone. On Tuesday, she appeared before Chief Magistrate Tito Gesora of the Makadara Law Courts, pleaded not guilty, and was released on Sh100,000 cash bail.
The case will proceed with a mention on April 5th, followed by a trial scheduled for July 8th. Ms. Wangechi and a senior colleague will testify as witnesses. CCTV footage capturing the transaction between Ms. Wanjiru and Ms. Wangechi, as well as a bank statement showing that Ms. Wanjiru withdrew only Sh392,000, have been presented as exhibits.