27-year old pregnant woman jailed for three years for gambling 'Chama' money

Dorothy Katulu, 27, is seven months pregnant and has been at the Lang'ata Women's prison for the last one month. She was jailed for three years on January 17, 2025.

Speaking to Simon Kibe, the show's producer, Katulu expressed her regret at being a jailbird at only 27 - and pregnant - detailing the events which eventually led to her arrest and subsequent incarceration.

"Life here is tough. The food here is horrible and I'm currently pregnant and cannot afford proper meals. Life is tough. My baby's father is no longer talking to me. I'll have to give birth while here, I don't have anything I can do..." 

She added, "I used to have saved a little money for myself but now I've used up all the money. I have nothing left and yet my baby is coming..."

Katulu narrated that she used to work at a printing firm when the tenants in the apartment picked her as the treasurer in their local 'Chama'.

"On the first year, I gave them their money without any problems. I did so too during the second year. And the third too," she narrated.

She, however, admitted that, in December 2024, she was tempted to gamble some huge amounts of money belonging to the 'Chama', eventually leading to massive losses and an arrest.

"On 16th December, we were to split the final funds. They withdrew Ksh. 2.4 million shillings for dispatch to the various members. But since I needed money for transaction, they deposited Ksh. 200,000 into my MPESA account in order to be able to send out the cash," she explained.

Katulu went on to say that, at the same time, her close friend and also a member of the 'Chama' advised her to gamble the extra money and probably double it as he had done the same and won heavily.

"He advised me to join an online betting game called 'Aviator'. I figured, since I had some Ksh. 200,000 in my phone, I could try my luck as I was the sole breadwinner at home and I could probably win and send them money for Christmas or school fees..."

After joining the gambling site, Katulu says that she lost all the money, immediately leading to problems with the 'Chama' people the money belonged to.

"I had already disbursed Ksh. 1.9 million. Only four people hadn't received their money...." she revealed.

On December 15, Katulu was arrested, and on December 17, was taken to court. Her case was quickly determined, leading to her sentencing on January 17, just a month later.

The 27-year old went on to reveal that, even though her debtors had been merciful at first, they could no longer wait since she was unable to raise the cash during the grace period granted.

She went on to say that her attempts to get her father to sell their piece of land proved futile after realising that the parcel was actually registered to all of her family members.

"I am deeply sorry to all the four people whose money I wasted on gambling. I'm extremely regretful for my actions. I'm depressed and I cry alot. I would never repeat the mistake. I'm pregnant, I'm overthinking and this could also hurt my baby..."

"I used to earn Ksh. 700 per day at the printing firm. I don't have any savings left. I used to send my family members money. Now I have nothing left...." she regretted.

Many who watched the show called out Katulu for her ignorance and apparent recklessness in handling money, while at the same time expressing their sympathy especially due to her pregnancy status and apparent remorsefulness.

"It's very wrong to play with people's money, especially in these tough times. I would have been very mad at her too. Money is a dangerous thing to play with. However, I feel for her and her situation. She's pregnant and she appears sorry. Something should be done," Rael Wanjau wrote.

Steve Nyaga said: "Gambling is a disease. And to make it worse, she gambled people's money away. I understand why she's in jail. But I feel like they needed to work out a solution due to the fact that she's a first offender, she's so young and also expectant..."