Hotel attendant accused of stealing Sh 11,000 from a patient

Kabarnet,

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

By Joan Tarus/Joshua Kibet

A middle-aged man appeared before a Kabarnet court and pleaded guilty to stealing a phone from a patient admitted in a hospital ward and withdrawing Sh 11,000 in his Mpesa account without authority.

Stephen Bundotich who works as an attendant at a hotel within Baringo County Referral Hospital, Kabarnet, was charged with stealing contrary to section 268(1) as read with section 275 of the penal code.

The accused who appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Ms. Purity Kosgei on Tuesday was charged that on April 23, this year at an unknown time he stole a phone from Lomasia Lorukon, a patient.

When the charge was read to him before the magistrate, the accused pleaded guilty saying it was true that indeed he committed the offence. “Your honour it is true indeed I stole the phone and withdrew the money,” he said.

The court heard that the accused went into a ward where the complainant who was known to him had been admitted and borrowed his phone in order to make a call but upon being given he did not return.

The complainant told the court upon realizing that the accused had delayed returning his phone, woke up from the hospital bed to check at his place of work, only to find the manager.

The court heard that the manager tried to call the accused who was not picking his calls but when he returned after some hours with the phone, the patient quickly checked his money and was shocked to establish that he had emptied Sh 11,000 in the account.

The Manager said when the manager asked the accused about the whereabouts of the money, he remained silent and on further questioning he left the hotel room as if he wanted to check for something only to flee through the hospital gate riding a motorcycle.

Prosecution Counsel Mr. Joseck Abwajo told the court that the complainant reported the matter the next day at Kabarnet Police Station where the accused was apprehended at the same hotel after resuming duty.

In her ruling, the Magistrate ordered the case to be mentioned on September 29 when the Probation Officer will present a pre-sentence report to facilitate sentencing on that day. She also gave the accused a chance to provide sufficient reasons why he stole the money from the patient.

Courtesy; KNA