A 27-year-old pregnant woman, Dorothy Katulu, has been sentenced to three years in prison after gambling away KSh 200,000 entrusted to her by an informal savings group, known locally as a “chama.”
The ruling was delivered on December 17, 2024, at a Nairobi court, following her arrest on December 15.
Katulu, who worked in the printing industry, had been a member of the Chama for two years, during which the group saved KSh 2.1 million.
In December 2024, she was tasked with distributing the funds among members.
However, she admitted to using KSh 200,000 to play the Aviator online betting game, hoping to win additional money for her dependents.
She lost the entire amount, leaving four members unpaid. The affected members—identifying as Patrick, Tinamoli, Catherine, and Gachanga—filed a lawsuit against her.
The court sentenced Katulu to three years in prison or a KSh 300,000 fine. Unable to raise the fine, she was remanded to Lang’ata Women’s Prison.
In an interview from her cell, Katulu expressed remorse, stating, “I am sorry to those I let down. I tried to win money to help, but I failed.” She also voiced fears about giving birth behind bars, saying, “Naogopa kuzalia huku” (I’m scared of giving birth here).
The case has sparked mixed reactions. Some Kenyans argue the sentence is harsh given her pregnancy, while others emphasize the breach of trust.
The Congress had planned to divide the savings on December 16, 2024, a goal disrupted by Katulu’s actions.
— CITY DIGEST. (@city_digest) March 7, 2025
