The High Court has ordered Safaricom to pay Peter Nthei Muoki Sh1.4 billion for copyright infringement, a judgment that exposes how corporate giants treat individual innovators.
The irony is that while this ruling was being delivered, Sitoyo Lopokoiyit the very executive who oversaw M-PESA’s financial services during the period of the theft was being celebrated with a top job at Absa Group.
The man who managed the platform when Muoki’s idea was taken is now being hailed as a champion of financial inclusion.
The facts are straightforward. Between March and June 2021, Muoki shared his detailed concept for the “M-Teen Mobile Wallet” with senior Safaricom officials. He had registered his work with the Kenya Copyright Board.
The idea was a mobile wallet that allowed parents to monitor and control their children’s spending. Shortly after these meetings, Safaricom launched its own “Manage Child Account” product, later known as “M-Pesa Go.”
The court found substantial similarities between the two products, proving not just access but copying.
Safaricom’s defense crumbled under scrutiny. The company argued the concept was a common industry idea and that it had independently developed the product with Huawei from 2020.
The court found this explanation inconsistent, questioning why a major company would act on an undocumented verbal request from the Central Bank.
Justice Mong’are drew an inference that Safaricom generated and initiated its product after obtaining the idea from Muoki and simply implemented it with a different programmer.
The judge made a clear distinction: while an idea is not protectable, the specific expression of that idea the detailed USSD menu structures, operational flows, and reporting mechanisms is protected by copyright.
While this judgment exposes a troubling corporate culture, Lopokoiyit’s career continues to flourish. He served as the Managing Director of M-PESA Africa and, before that, as the Chief Financial Services Officer at Safaricom during the relevant period.
In February 2026, Absa Group appointed him Chief Executive for Personal and Private Banking, effective April 2026. His tenure at M-PESA is celebrated for scaling the platform to 56 million customers and launching innovations like the Super App and Fuliza.
He was even inducted into the 11:FS Hall of Fame for significantly improving the financial services ecosystem.
The irony is difficult to ignore. A man at the helm when an innovator’s work was stolen is now praised for advancing inclusive financial services.
Safaricom’s defense had gaps in documentation, inconsistent timelines, and no credible evidence of independent development.
Yet the executive responsible walks into a banking leadership role, his reputation intact.For ordinary Kenyans, this case is a warning.
The judgment is a rare victory, but it comes after years of legal battles against a corporate machine with deep pockets. It exposes a system where the powerful can take what they want, hoping the original creator will be crushed by the cost and complexity of seeking justice.
This case is not just about one man’s idea. It is about a corporate culture that must be held to account, where theft is rewarded and the victims must fight for years against endless resources.
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