Grandfather, 70, Fined Ksh 200,000 for Stealing Widow’s Pension
"I urge this court to impose a harsh jail term on Kenyoru for stealing the pension from the widow who is now living in abject poverty," state counsel Sonia Njoki told the court.
A 70-year-old grandfather will spend one year in prison if he fails to pay a fine of Ksh 200,000 for stealing Ksh 752,000 from a widow a dozen years ago.
Milimani senior principal magistrate Benmark Ekhubi convicted Ibrahim Kenyoru Bwana for stealing Ksh752,526 from Hellen Kemuma Maturu 12 years ago from the Pension Department at Bima House, Nairobi.
He was convicted on July 30, 2025, by Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi.
During the conviction, the prosecution had requested the court to impose harsh punishment on the accused,
“I urge this court to impose a harsh jail term on Kenyoru for stealing the pension from the widow who is now living in abject poverty,” state counsel Sonia Njoki told the court.
Njoki told the magistrate that Kemuma and her orphaned children had suffered due to poverty injected into their lives by Kenyoru, who in March and April 2016 stole their pension.
“Hopes of the widow whose husband is deceased, to educate her children and establish a home were dashed when her only income left behind was stolen by the accused,” the prosecutor said..
She pleaded with the magistrate to do justice and give the necessary orders to compensate the accused.
A defence lawyer pleaded with the magistrate to impose a fine instead of a custodial sentence because the accused was past 70 years old.
“A custodial sentence will impact negatively on the accused who has health challenges. I plead you consider a fine instead of a custodial sentence,” the defence lawyer urged.
The court was told the offence attracts a three-year jail term, but a magistrate can depart from this pronouncement and impose a fine, given the convict’s age.
Mr Ekhubi directed the convict to be returned to court on August 11, 2025, for sentence.
Kenyoru was charged with stealing Ksh 752,526 from the Pension Department in Bima House along Harambee Avenue, Nairobi, on diverse dates between May 22 and April 22, 2016, jointly with others not before the court.
The money was the property of the pension department, whose beneficiary was Hellen Kemuma Matura.
