When Leonard Oyiri accidentally received Sh. 130,000 from a client who had come to shop for a new vehicle seat, he packed his bags and fled town to Nakuru County.
Earlier, the 53-year-old mechanic had helped Sadiq Abdi look for a car seat in his workshop in Kayole, Nairobi. The latter found a seat he liked and they settled on a purchase price of Sh. 12,300. Abdi would also tip the mechanic Sh. 700 for his assistance.
When sending the money to Oyiri’s account, Abdi inputted the Sh. 13,000 and accidentally added another zero, making the mechanic 10 times richer.
With the newfound Sh. 130,000 wealth, Leonard Oyiri skipped town. Abdi took the matter to court, accusing Oyiri of withholding his money contrary to Section 35 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018.
He also reported the matter to Kayole Police Station, who began a manhunt for Oyiri. They looked for him at his house but he was nowhere to be seen. Arrangements were made to lock his house.
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Leonard Oyiri was arrested when he returned to his home. In the ensuing investigations, the accused stated that he was waiting for Abdi to call him and claim his money.
He couldn’t have called him as he did not have his number. He also disclosed that he travelled to Njoro in Nakuru to see one of his families. He used Abdi’s money to pay for his children’s school fees and settle arrears on land he was buying.
He also went to visit his other family in Siaya County before returning to Nairobi broke. The father of 9 children was presented at the Makadara Law Courts where he denied charges.
Oyiri was released on a Sh. 50,000 cash bail after requesting to repay Abdi the amount over time. The case will be mentioned on 11th November before the trial on 29th February 2024.
