Peter Gathungu Gikonyo at the Milimani Law Courts on April 7 2026, When he was jailed for three years for stealing Sh6,133 , 900 rent he received from tenants in properties he was managing.
A Nairobi property manager has been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing more than Sh6 million in rent collected from tenants, bringing to a close a case that has dragged on for six years.
Peter Gathungu Gikonyo was handed the custodial sentence with an alternative fine of Sh2.8 million after the court found him guilty of misappropriating funds entrusted to him by property owners.
Gikonyo had pleaded for leniency, urging the court to consider a non-custodial sentence. However, Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego declined to rely on a probation officer’s report after the convict raised concerns over how it was compiled, alleging irregularities in the interview process.
Peter Gathungu Gikonyo at the Milimani Law Courts on April 7 2026, When he was jailed for three years for stealing Sh6,133 , 900 rent he received from tenants in properties he was managing.
“Now that Mr Gikonyo has expressed reservations and concern as to why he was interviewed by two probation officers, I will not rely on the same,” ruled the magistrate, adding that she would instead be guided by the victims’ impact statements in determining the sentence.
The court heard that Gikonyo stole Sh4,390,560 from Kaggs Investments Limited which owns several rental properties in Nairobi and its environs. He committed the offence between June 29 and September 1, 2020, while acting as a property manager entrusted with collecting and safeguarding rent.
In a second count, he was convicted of stealing an additional Sh1,743,340 from Keithian Investments Limited under similar circumstances and during the same period.
The magistrate noted that Gikonyo was a classmate of the proprietor of the two firms, who had entrusted him with managing the properties, trust he ultimately betrayed.
The court further heard that beyond siphoning rent, the convict also charged tenants for water despite the property owner having installed boreholes to provide water free of charge.
Efforts to resolve the dispute out of court failed, paving the way for the full trial and eventual conviction.
Following the sentencing, Gikonyo indicated that he would appeal the decision. He had been out on a cash bail of Sh500,000, which was refunded after the sentence was delivered.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
