Jamila Abdi was counting her fortunes when she received employment shortly after arriving in Kenya from Uganda. Little did she know, that she would end up being the scapegoat in a robbery incident organised by a relative.
Narrating her story at Njerainicitu, Abdi noted that her cousin connected her to a wealthy businesswoman who employed her as a house help.
Elated at the job opportunity, her cousin, however, noted that she owed him a favour - a fact that she understood afterward.
"I received employment as a househelp from my cousin who connected me to the job. However, days later my cousin would inform me that there are multiple ways I can get money from that job as it is lucrative. At first, I didn't know what she meant," Abdi explained.
"My cousin and her crew (involved in crime) devised a plot to raid the house, with me acting as an inside person. After two months, I knew the terrain and how my employer's schedule on a day-to-day basis."
Abdi detailed that her cousin introduced her to his crew which involved a gang that was involved in criminal activities. Abdi's role was to ensure that they got access to the house on the day of the incident.
"On the fateful day, they arrived in the morning while in masks. They accessed the back door and tied me up so that no one could know we were in cahoots.
"They seized the other cleaner who took them to my bosses' room. They found my employer and ordered her out of the room. She led them to the valuables, and stole items including cash in dollars, gold jewellaries etc."
Following the incident, they placed her in the car's boot. Hours later, Abdi heard the vehicle come to a halt. She was hounded out of the boot while still blindfolded.
Thinking that they would split the loot, Abdi was surprised when she was thrown into the forest and the vehicle sped off.
"I became afraid of going back to my bosses' home, so I decided not to. However, not so long, the police officers caught up with me as I was walking and placed me in custody. They tracked me using my phone. I tried to contact my cousin but his phone was off. To date, I've never seen him," she noted.
"At times, I feel like I'm in a dream. I thought we could benefit all of us but I ended up being the scapegoat."
Abdi was charged with robbery with violence and condemned to death at Lang'ata Women's Prison. She, however, received a presidential pardon and was sentenced to life.
