Journalist accused of stealing Sh200,000 from passenger

A Nairobi journalist was on December 23, 2016 charged with stealing money from the bag of a passenger at the JKIA. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The writer was found with Sh61,000 and had deposited  Sh26,000 into Mpesa account.
  • The Kenya Police Airport Unit deputy commandant Rono Bunei said that a Kenya Airways employee who was at the counter was also questioned and his statement recorded but was never charged as there was nothing linking him to the theft.

A city reporter has been charged in court for stealing Sh200,000 from a passenger at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

John Lawrence Opate, who writes for a Nairobi tabloid, was arrested after a CCTV camera captured him stealing the cash from the bag of a passenger who was travelling to Mombasa with his family on Wednesday.

The Kenya Police Airport Unit Deputy Commandant Rono Bunei said a Kenya Airways employee who was at the counter was also questioned and his statement recorded but was not charged as there was nothing linking him to the theft.

Mr Opate, police said, was found with Sh61,000 and had deposited  Sh26,000 into an M-Pesa account.

He was charged on Friday morning at The JKIA Law Courts, Nairobi.

More to follow.