A house help who went on the run after stealing valuable items worth over Ksh 500,000 has been apprehended by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Rita Akinyi Yohana, a 25-year-old domestic worker, was arrested in Kawangware’s Congo Maumau area after an extensive forensic-led investigation tracked her down.
Akinyi, who had been employed by her victim for 15 months, is accused of making off with a safe containing a stash of prized belongings.
These included family passports, foreign national IDs, $4,000 (approximately Ksh 518,000), gold coins, Diwali statues, a pen drive, a hard disk, bank locker keys, perfumes, and other valuable items.
The theft, which was reported to the Spring Valley Police Station on March 11, 2025, was described as a calculated act of betrayal by a trusted employee.
“The incident reveals a tale of deception by an employee who had been in the employer’s service for over a year, only to end up betraying their trust,” said the DCI in a statement released on Friday, March 14.
Akinyi’s flight from justice was short-lived, thanks to the tireless efforts of DCI officers and their use of advanced forensic techniques.
After tracking her down, authorities conducted a search of Akinyi’s residence where they discovered several of the stolen items, including 29 one-hundred-dollar notes, assorted Indian Rupees, perfumes, and women’s purses—all linked directly to her employer.
During questioning, Akinyi admitted to discarding the stolen safe into the murky waters of River Maumau.
Local divers, with the assistance of detectives, recovered the safe from the riverbed, but unfortunately, it had been emptied of its contents.
“The safe was found intact, but the valuable items had already been removed,” the DCI stated, confirming that investigations are still ongoing.
Akinyi is currently in police custody, awaiting formal charges and her impending court appearance.
The recovered items have been secured as evidence, and law enforcement is continuing to piece together the full extent of her theft.
