Nairobi-July 19, 2025: A Nairobi bar waitress has been charged with stealing Sh215,000 from a customer’s M-Pesa account after a paid sexual encounter at a guest room in Tassia, Embakasi.
Agnes Mueni Ngina, 27, is facing theft charges brought under Section 268 (1)(a) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 275 of the Criminal Procedure Code. She appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Joseph Karanja at the Makadara Law Courts and denied the accusations.
Alleged theft after paid encounter
According to the charge sheet, the incident took place on May 17 at a lodging attached to the Chairman’s Bar in Tassia, where Mueni worked. She allegedly entertained the complainant, Fredrick Ochieng alias “Obama,” alongside a female colleague.
Ochieng reportedly paid the women Sh5,000 each for the threesome. After the encounter, he gave his phone to Mueni to input her number so that he could send the payment via M-Pesa.
Instead, she is accused of altering the transaction and entering Sh100,000 instead of Sh10,000. In a drunken state, Ochieng allegedly sent the money without verifying the amount.
More transactions followed
In addition to the first transfer, Mueni is accused of sending another Sh115,000 to third parties using the same device. Ochieng only discovered the full loss of Sh215,000 after checking his Safaricom M-Pesa transaction history the following day.
The complainant, a hydrologist, had booked a room at the establishment for the night. Upon realising the money was gone, he returned and filed a report at Tassia Police Post.
Motive and history
During police investigations, Ochieng revealed that Mueni had previously expressed displeasure over his visits to the club with his girlfriend, saying he ignored other women, including her. Police believe this may have influenced her actions. Mueni was released on a bond of Sh100,000 or a cash bail of Sh70,000. The court has scheduled a mention of the case on August 28, during which a pre-trial conference will take place and hearing dates set.
Mobile money fraud on the rise
This case comes amid rising concerns over mobile money fraud in Kenya. Experts have warned users to secure their devices and double-check payment details before sending large amounts. According to a report by the Communications Authority of Kenya, mobile money-related crime is increasing.
