Kerry Howard Mwesigwa.
Kampala, September 4, 2023 – In an unusual case that has stirred both sympathy and concern, a 51-year-old businesswoman, Rehema Nagirinya, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing 45 million shillings from her uncle, Zadock Bakunda, while working as his mobile money agent. The court has also ordered her to repay the money within two years after serving her sentence.
Nagirinya, a resident of Katooke Nansana in Wakiso district, pleaded guilty to charges of theft and conspiracy to commit a crime. She had been charged alongside Ahmadda Mpindi, 62, who denied the charges and is awaiting trial.
The Law Development Centre court in Kampala heard that Nagirinya committed the theft between June 15, 2022, and June 15, 2023, at Kisenyi, Kafumbe Mukasa Road in Kampala. She transferred the money to various accounts using her uncle’s mobile money platform.
What sets this case apart is Nagirinya’s motive. She explained to the court that she stole the money to seek medical treatment for a unique and baffling condition – a twin pregnancy that she has carried for nine years without giving birth. According to Nagirinya, she last saw the pregnancy through an ultrasound scan when it was five months old, but she still experiences labor pains occasionally.
Her uncle, Zadock Bakunda, initially refused to believe her condition and demanded medical proof before assisting her. Despite Nagirinya’s efforts to reconcile with him, he rejected her pleas and reported her to the police.
Senior Principal Magistrate Martins Kirya, in delivering the sentence, acknowledged Nagirinya’s guilty plea and her unusual health condition. However, he also recognized that the theft caused financial loss to her uncle and therefore imposed a deterrent sentence.
Magistrate Kirya advised Nagirinya to seek medical attention while in prison and urged her uncle to consider forgiveness and assist her with the compensation process. He took the opportunity to remind mobile money agents to uphold honesty and trustworthiness in their dealings.
