{
  "id": 17090457,
  "title": "Safaricom dismisses 118 staff for fraud, four times the 2021 level",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/safaricom-dismisses-118-staff-for-fraud-four-times-the-2021-level",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-29T16:25:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechCabal",
    "slug": "techcabal",
    "url": "https://techcabal.com/2026/10/29/safaricom-fires-118-staff-for-fraud/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Safaricom has dismissed 118 employees for fraud in the year to March, marking a fourfold increase from the 28 dismissals recorded in the same period in 2021, according to the company's 2026 Sustainable Business Report. The report reveals that insider fraud cases fell by 82%, despite the rise in dismissals, demonstrating the company's intensified efforts to combat insider threats. Approximately 2% of Safaricom's workforce of 5,648 employees were let go for fraudulent activities. Insider conduct, which includes theft, falsifying records, and unauthorized access to customer data, is deemed gross misconduct that can lead to immediate dismissal. The report identifies staff dismissals as part of a broader effort to address fraud, with 118 fraud cases investigated and 118 dismissals recorded, along with three disciplinary warnings. The company's anti-fraud measures have resulted in a reduction of 46% in reported fraud losses, while monitoring and analytics helped recover KES 953 million ($7.4 million) linked to inflated agent commissions. Fraud awareness training reached 5,643 employees, with 98% of Safaricom's workforce completing the annual ethics program. Group Chief Risk Officer Nicholas Mulila emphasized the company's commitment to embedding accountability across its operations. The dismissals are consistent with trends observed in the banking industry, where heightened detection has led to increased staff dismissals for fraud.",
  "summary": "Safaricom dismissed 118 employees for fraud in the year to March, even as fraud incidents fell 82%, pointing to a declining insider threat amid an intensified crackdown at Kenya’s largest telecoms operator. The figure, disclosed in the company’s 2026 Sustainable Business Report released on Tuesday at its Nairobi headquarters, is more than four times the […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business Daily Africa",
        "title": "Safaricom sacks 118 staff in fraud crackdown",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/safaricom-sacks-118-staff-in-fraud-crackdown",
        "published": "2026-10-27T17:45:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BusinessDay Nigeria",
        "title": "Safaricom dismisses 118 staff, recovers $7.34m in agent commission fraud",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/safaricom-dismisses-118-staff-recovers-7-34m-in-agent-commission-fraud",
        "published": "2026-10-28T16:45:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}