'Mchele' gang: Two charged with drugging, robbing Eldoret man Sh300,000

Two women were Thursday arrested and charged in an Eldoret court for drugging and robbing a man of cash and other property valued at more than Sh300,000 in Eldoret.

The ladies allegedly robbed the customer care manager, an employee of a telecommunication company in his house at Kapsoya estate, Eldoret on April,18, 2022.

The court heard that Caroline Njeri Kariuki and Caroline Nyakio, jointly with intent to steal, administered the CNS depressant- a stupefying drug and stole from Alphnad Alang’ola Lazarus personal property worth Sh331, 000.

The 'pishori women' are said to have sprinkled the drugs locally christened “mchele” into tea and eggs which they prepared for him in his rental house, where they paid him a visit.

According to the complainant's statement in court, he became weak, unconscious and mentally ill, after consuming the depressant through tea prepared by his would be tormenting guests.

The court heard that the man, completely intoxicated, revealed to them his bank pin number, Mpesa pin, among other sensitive financial information, including his SACCO mobile banking information.

They started withdrawing his money from the accounts, including utilising his Mpesa Fuliza services.

The victim fell asleep within minutes after revealing all his vital financial information to his guests.

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They did not stop there though. After accomplishing their mission, they rummaged through his belongings, taking money, his kitchen shopping, among other valuables.

The accused took a mobile loan of Sh120,000 from the victim’s cooperative bank account and Sh10,000 from his mobile phone Fuliza services.

Other valuables stolen by the accused included laptops, mobile phones, kitchen shopping, among other things all valued at Sh331,000.

The accused women met the complainant in a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) in March when travelling from Eldoret to Nairobi, the court heard.

The court heard that they told him that they were employees of Kenya Women Finance Trust and promised to help him get a loan from the bank.  The complainant said it is on this basis that he invited them to his house so that they could give him more information on how to secure a loan from the bank.

However, the duo who appeared before Eldoret Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo denied the charges. Through their lawyer, they implored the court to release them on lenient bond terms as well as release them on cash bail.

The court released them on a cash bail of Sh200,000. The case will be mentioned on June 27.

Cases of women spiking food and drinks of their male companies with the intent of robbing or exploiting them are said to be on the increase in Elodret town.

According to detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) such cases are not as they are on an upsurge across the country.

A detective from DCI who did not want to be named due to DCI protocols said that the cases are rampant, especially in public service vehicles, citing the Nairobi- Malaba highway and Eldoret as notorious.

Detectives said the slang of the drugging is "mchele" (rice) because the drugs used by the thieves resemble the rice grain.

“Another popular term for the drugs is "pishori", which is a tasty variety of rice and the women who practice it are called pishori ladies,” a DCI officer told Nation outside the Eldoret court, but requested for anonymity.

“Pishori ladies sprinkle “mchele” into the drinks or food of victims, who are usually too drunk to notice. The victim starts to fall asleep within minutes. That’s when the thieves strike and rummage through the victim’s belongings, taking money, jewelry, mobile phones, among other valuables,” narrated a senior police officer involved in the investigation of rampant pishori ladies’ cases.

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