Moses Ngugi Muchwe, the manager, and Francis Mwangi Wairimu, the cashier, of BATA Shoe Kenya PLC, faced charges in Milimani Law Courts before Senior Principal Magistrate Esther Kimilu, where they both pleaded not guilty to allegations of stealing millions of money from the company.
The prosecution alleges that between July 12 and December 11, 2021, Muchwe, the manager, and Wairimu, the cashier, who worked at the Nairobi BATA Shoe Kenya PLC depot, conspired to steal a staggering 16,711 pairs of shoes, with a total value of Sh15,509,987.
These shoes, it is claimed, came into their possession due to their positions within the company.
The crux of the matter appears to be the alleged collusion between the accused manager and cashier in selling the shoes and failing to remit the proceeds to the company's accounts.
This alleged misconduct was not immediately apparent, as the complainant stated that they initially believed sales were low, and the shoes remained in storage.
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However, discrepancies arose when the two employees declared a loss of Sh1 million, only for an external auditor to discover that shoes worth more than Sh15 million were missing from the company's stock.
Despite their pleas of not guilty to the theft charges, the court granted Muchwe and Wairimu temporary freedom by releasing them on a bond of Sh5 million.
The case is set to be mentioned on October 24 for pretrial proceedings.
This legal development has sent shockwaves through the business community, highlighting the importance of trust and accountability within the workplace.
The alleged theft of such a substantial quantity of merchandise raises questions about internal controls and employee oversight within the company.
As this case unfolds, the court will undoubtedly scrutinize the evidence closely, striving to uncover the truth behind these allegations and determine the fate of the two accused individuals.
