Teriki Cherutich, 88, from the remote village of Eitui in Baringo Central, had accumulated savings of Sh90,000, which she kept in an improvised 'safe' in her home.
After being informed by her children about the unveiling of the new generation banknotes, she decided to take her savings to Post Bank in Eldama Ravine, and that's how she ended up keeping her money at the bank.
Since 2019, she has continued to save at the bank and by the end of 2022, her savings had accumulated to more than Sh113,000.
In January last year, the octogenarian fell ill and accompanied by one of her children, decided to travel to Eldama Ravine town to withdraw some of her savings at the bank to pay for her treatment.
However, when she went to withdraw some money, she was shocked to find that all her savings had been wiped out, leaving her with only Sh87 in her account.
Her son Samuel Cherutich says they raised the matter with the management of the said bank and an investigation was carried out.
It was found that the savings were transferred from the elderly woman's account at the Eldama Ravine branch to Kakamega and withdrawn by a section of staff working in cahoots with employees of a Kenyan mobile phone operator.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations visited the elderly woman's home and recorded statements.
"It has been a year now and the money is yet to be returned to my mother by the bank as promised. We are told that two suspects from the said bank and others from the mobile network operator have been arrested, but we have never been summoned to court. We are just praying for justice and for the refund to be expedited," said Mr Cherutich.
The woman regrets that although she was adamant about taking her savings to the bank five years ago, she was persuaded by her children to do so because of the CBK's replacement of the old generation 1,000 shilling notes.
"I had been saving my money in my house for several years. By 2019, I had more than Sh90,000. I was convinced by my children to take the money to the bank due to some changes by the government and I had to comply, albeit reluctantly," said Ms Cherutich.
"I was disturbed to learn that all my savings had been withdrawn by rogue staff whom I had entrusted to take care of my money. I am shocked that the money I had kept safely in my house for years was stolen when I transferred it to the bank. My only prayer is to get my money back because I am sick and need it for my medication," said the distraught granny.
Contacted for comment, Eldama Ravine Post Bank Manager Naomi Metto confirmed that the fraud had taken place, describing it as an 'inside job' by two rogue employees who colluded with accomplices at the mobile telephone service provider to transfer and withdraw the money.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has since taken over the case and two Post Bank employees from Kakamega County who were involved in the fraud have since been sacked and arrested.
"We raised an alarm immediately after the fraud was discovered and investigations were launched. Some of our staff were found to have collaborated with the local mobile operator and the money was withdrawn," Ms Metto said.
Investigations revealed that the money was transferred from the woman's account to a mobile phone and then withdrawn in Kakamega County.
The said culprits are still refunding the money, and Postbank has assured the Baringo granny that it will be repaid in full. "It will just take some time because of the ongoing investigations," said Ms Metto.
According to the Postbank boss, there are several other cases of fraudsters within the system targeting the elderly and accounts of the dead.
"We have discovered that staff check the accounts of the elderly, looking for the dormant accounts. They then withdraw the money, assuming that the owners are dead. In this case, they used the same approach," says the branch manager.
Post Bank is now compiling a list of its elderly clients who have fallen victim to the fraudsters, to return their stolen funds as the investigation continues.
"A lot of fraud happens in banks, not only in Postbanks. In any institution where cash is involved, you will not fail to find a rogue officer," Ms Metto said.
