Two former employees of the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) Eldoret branch, Vincent Rotich and Rose Cheboi, have been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling Sh20 million from the state agency.
Eldoret Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyani issued the sentence after the convicts were found guilty of unlawfully obtaining the funds. “The prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that you both stole the money; therefore, each of you will serve a three-year jail term,” Mikoyani declared.
The two were convicted on ten counts, including theft by a servant and forgery of financial transaction documents. The court was informed that Rotich and Cheboi were arrested six years ago by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations at Eldoret Central Police Station, following their involvement in the theft.
They were charged with stealing Sh3,715,500 from various depositors’ accounts at the AFC Bank Eldoret branch between October 2016 and September 2018. Additionally, Cheboi was separately charged with stealing Sh3.7 million between September 12 and 28, 2017. The court learned that Cheboi, along with others not currently facing charges, stole this money during her employment as a finance clerk. Rotich was also charged with stealing Sh11.3 million, which he acquired through his role as an AFC employee, along with accomplices who were not before the court.
