This archive report was first published on 14 October 2021.
On October 14, 2021, Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi handed down a five-year and four-month prison sentence to Solomon Kithuka Chalo for faking the death of a relative and attempting to defraud Britam Insurance of over Sh500,000.
According to the magistrate, Chalo committed a serious offense by seeking to enrich himself through deceit. He was found guilty of eight counts filed against him by the prosecution led by Mr. Anderson Gikunda.
Chalo had forged a burial permit for one Mutisya Musyoka on March 17, 2021, and presented it to Britam Life Assurance Limited as a valid document to claim compensation. He was also charged with raising a Britam death claim notification for Mr. Musyoka.
During the sentencing, the magistrate stated that it was very immoral to fake the death of a living person and that Chalo would have siphoned the money if not for the keenness of the officers at Britam.
Chalo pleaded guilty to the charges and expressed regret for his actions, but the magistrate slapped him with a custodial sentence without the option of a fine.
