Socialite Sheila Wairimu fined Sh200, 000 for stealing late tycoon's ‘V8’

Sheila Wairimu, alias Shay Diva Africa

Sheila Wairimu, alias Shay Diva Africa, allegedly stole the Toyota Landcruiser 200 belonging to late tycoon PJ Dodhia Kumar.

Photo credit: Pool

A Kitale musician who was charged with stealing a vehicle belonging to a dead tycoon has been fined Sh200,000.

Sheila Wairimu alias Shay Diva Africa, 30, was also ordered to return the Toyota Landcruiser to the family of her late Indian boyfriend Pankaj Kumar Dodhia, who was popularly known to many as PJ Kumar. 

Ms Wairimu was charged with meddling with a family estate, forgery and stealing. 

She was fined Sh10,000 or risk two months in jail for the charge of meddling with a family estate. The magistrate also fined her Sh150,000 for forgery or risk three years jail.

Ms Wairimu will also have to pay Sh40,000 for stealing or spend one year in jail.

In her mitigation, the socialite requested mercy and leniency.

“My client is very remorseful. She has children who depend on her. She doubles up as a caregiver to her ill mother who suffers from a heart condition, high blood pressure and diabetes. If given a custodial sentence, she would be able to take care of her mother,” her lawyer told the court.

“My client’s only mistake was falling in love but unfortunately the love she thought she had landed her in court,” he added. 

Ms Wairimu was accused of accessing the tycoon's National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) online account and transferring ownership of the vehicle to herself without following due process of succession.

She transferred the vehicle a day after Kumar’s death.

His family filed a complaint with the police after learning that Ms Wairimu had taken the vehicle. They claimed Mr Kumar gave Ms Wairimu the vehicle on a “use and return basis” because they were in a relationship.

Mr Chirag Bhatt, a witness who managed a hardware shop owned by Mr Kumar, testified that Ms Wairimu had consistently blackmailed the tycoon by threatening to disclose their illicit relationship to his wife who lives in the UK.

Mr Bhatt said that is how she managed to keep the vehicle until Mr Kumar's death.

In her defence, Ms Wairimu said the car was transferred to her without her knowledge and that she only learned about it when she accessed her NTSA account.

However, NTSA records showed that Ms Wairimu filed a transfer of the log book online at 11.45 pm on April 26.

The transfer was authorised at 2pm the next day, even though there were no supporting documents from the owner.