A 27-year-old pregnant woman has been sentenced to three years in prison after gambling away Ksh. 200,000 entrusted to her as a treasurer for an informal savings group. Dorothy Katulu, now seven months pregnant, has been incarcerated at Lang’ata Women’s Prison since January 17, 2025, following her conviction.
Her story, recently aired on Inooro TV’s Njeraini Citu program, has sparked mixed reactions from the public. While many condemn her actions, others express sympathy for her situation, given her pregnancy and apparent remorse.
Katulu recounted her ordeal in an interview, detailing how she mismanaged the funds. She had served as treasurer for her apartment’s chama for several years without issue. However, in December 2024, she made the fateful decision to gamble Ksh. 200,000 from the group’s funds on an online betting platform called Aviator. Encouraged by a friend who had won money through gambling, she hoped to multiply the amount and use the extra cash for Christmas and school fees.
Her gamble, however, ended in disaster. She lost all the money, leaving four members of the group unpaid. Despite efforts to recover the funds, including appealing to her father to sell family land, she was unable to raise the amount. Arrested on December 15 and swiftly prosecuted, she received a three-year prison sentence just a month later.
In prison, Katulu describes harsh conditions, lamenting the poor diet and emotional toll of her predicament. “Life here is tough. I regret my actions, and I cry a lot. I’m overthinking, and this could harm my baby,” she shared.
Public reactions to her case are divided. Some argue she deserves the punishment for recklessly misusing people’s money, especially in tough economic times. Others believe the court should have considered her pregnancy and first-time offender status in determining a more lenient penalty.
“Gambling is a disease,” one commentator, Steve Nyaga, noted. “But she’s young and expectant; a different solution should have been explored.”
Katulu’s case serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of gambling and financial mismanagement, highlighting the severe consequences of misusing entrusted funds.
