Shock as Police officer declines to refund M-Pesa sent to him by Mistake

BY OUR CRIME REPORTER

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is on the spotlight over an alleged attempts to cover up a police officer who has refused to refund sh7,620, sent to him wrongly through Safaricom’s M-Pesa transaction.

According to the The Nairobian Newspaper ‘Defender’ , a Baringo based police officer identified as Rotich Kipyegon, erroneously received sh8,820 on September 23, 2022 through a Till No belonging to a Police canteen.

The money was sent by one Loise Muthoni who later reported the matter at Kamkunji Police Station.

However, Kipyegon only refunded sh1,200 after he was contacted by the officer on the case, but refused to send the remaining sh7,620.

He blamed Safaricom for the error while the officer who was handling the case have gone silent, according to The Defender.

It’s imperative to note that withholding an M-Pesa message delivered erroneously is contrary to the law .

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations Headquarters, Nairobi.

Section 35 of the Computer and Cyber Crimes Act, 2018 provides that Failing to reverse an M-Pesa transaction done by mistake will see Kenyans pay a Sh200,000 fine or be jailed for two years, or both.

The Section states that “A person who intentionally hides or detains any electronic mail, message, electronic payment, credit and debit card which was found by the person or delivered to the person in error and which ought to be delivered to another person, commits an offence and is liable on conviction a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.