Questions are being raised about Sitoyo Lopokoiyit following a recent court ruling involving his former employer, Safaricom, even as he settles into his new leadership role at Absa Group.
Lopokoiyit, who now heads personal and private banking at Absa, joined the bank on 1 April 2026 after ending a long career at Safaricom at the close of March.
The discussion stems from a legal dispute between Safaricom and businessman Peter Nthei Muoki together with his company, Beluga Ltd.
The case centered on a mobile money concept known as M-TEEN Mobile Wallet, a platform designed to help parents monitor and manage how teenagers and young people spend money through M-PESA.
According to court records, Muoki presented the idea to Safaricom in 2021.
Later, the telecommunications company introduced a service known as Manage Child Account, which offered similar functions.
After reviewing the matter, the High Court ruled that Safaricom had copied key aspects of the idea.
In a decision delivered in May 2026, the court ordered the company to pay KSh 1.4 billion in damages.
The ruling also directed Safaricom to pay 0.5 percent of specific M-PESA revenues each year for as long as the service remains active.
The court stated that Safaricom had not provided sufficient evidence to prove that the product had been developed independently.
However, the company still has an opportunity to appeal the decision, and the service continues to operate for customers.
As the case has attracted public attention, some social media users have linked Lopokoiyit to the matter because he held senior positions within Safaricom during the period in question.
He served as Chief Financial Services Officer before later becoming Managing Director of M-PESA Africa. Some reports have referenced his involvement in discussions around the original proposal, leading to online debate about his role.
Hashtags criticizing him have also appeared on social media, with some users questioning whether Absa fully reviewed his professional background before appointing him.
The renewed scrutiny has also brought back discussions about other issues that occurred during Lopokoiyit’s years at Safaricom.
These include past concerns related to a major customer data breach and discussions surrounding business relationships involving betting companies.
While these matters have resurfaced online, they are largely being revisited as part of broader conversations about his transition to a new role.
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