A mason who disappeared after he was paid Sh235,000 to renovate two graves at the Lang’ata cemetery has pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining money by false pretences.
Odanga Mbuka was charged with defrauding a couple who intended to beautify their parents’ graves.
He admitted to the charges that he defrauded Grace Wanjiku and her husband when he was charged before senior principal magistrate Esther Bhoke. He is awaiting sentencing.
Mbuka was accused of committing the offence on March 11, 2022, at the cemetery.
The court heard that before Mbuka disappeared with the money, he promised the couple that he was in a position to repair Wanjiku’s parents’ graves and install granite on them.
The prosecution told the court that the couple had visited the cemetery to inspect the graves for renovation.
They contacted Mbuka after obtaining his number from a friend. He was to repair the two graves for Sh247,000.
Down-payment
Mbuka was given a down-payment of Sh150,000 via M-Pesa.
Mbuka later received the balance.
After some days, the couple went back to the cemetery to check on the progress of the work only to find nothing had been done.
The court heard that the couple unsuccessfully tried to reach Mbuka through his mobile phone.
The couple then reported the matter at the Lang’ata police station leading to his arrest.
He, however, claimed that when they sent him the money, some robbers accosted him and robbed him.
Mbuka said that he tried to renovate the graves before full payments were made but he was arrested before he could complete the work.
He pleaded guilty to the charges.
Bhoke directed that a pre-sentencing report of Mbuka be tabled before he is sentenced. BY DAILY NATION