Kenyan Domestic Worker in Saudi Arabia Fights to Recover Sh300,000 Sent to Wrong Number

Irene, a Kenyan woman employed as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia, has faced a frustrating ordeal while attempting to recover Sh 300,000 mistakenly sent to the wrong M-pesa recipient.

With her employer's consent, she embarked on a journey back to Kenya in November 2023, determined to rectify the error. The situation began when Irene's employer transferred the funds, intended for her ailing father's medical expenses, to her Saudi bank account. Unfortunately, a series of mistakes followed. A bank teller mistakenly forwarded the funds to another branch for deposit into Irene's sister's account in Kenya. There, another teller inexplicably sent the money to an incorrect phone number belonging to William Otieno.

Determined to recover the missing funds, Irene, with her employer's support, pursued various avenues. She approached the bank, filed a police report, and even contributed towards expenses incurred during the investigation. However, the process took a concerning turn when Officer Lucy Mbithe Munyambu, initially helpful, allegedly requested additional funds and engaged in contradictory responses.

“Madam Lucy told me that Otieno still had Sh. 100,000 out of the Sh. 300,000 and she advised me not to take that money; they wanted Otieno to pay for all of it. Little did I know that the money was to be given to the officers,” Irene claims.

Further suspicion arose when Irene directly contacted Otieno, discovering he was not in Tanzania as claimed, but in Kisumu. He confirmed receiving the funds and provided a transaction message of sending Sh22,100 to Officer Lucy, fueling Irene's doubts about the investigation's legitimacy. Now, facing financial hardship and uncertainty, Irene remains in pursuit of justice. The misplaced funds were crucial for her father's medical care, adding urgency to her struggle. Despite her efforts, the path towards recovering the rightful funds remains unclear.

“When I asked Lucy, she scolded me and said I should not quarrel with her like a child. She was very rude to me and I had to block all of them (DCI) officers,” Irene narrates.

If someone accidentally sends you money via M-Pesa and you don't return it, you could face up to two years in jail. There's also a possibility of being fined up to Sh200,000 or facing both the fine and the jail term. According to the 2018 Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, Section 35 specifically states that it's against the law to keep money that was sent to you by mistake.

The section explains that intentionally hiding or holding onto any electronic mail, message, electronic payment, or credit or debit card that was mistakenly delivered to you, instead of the intended recipient, is considered an offence. If convicted, you could be fined up to Sh200,000 or imprisoned for a maximum of two years, or both.