MY LIFE IN AND AFTER CRIME
God is merciful……….

Mary Wanjiku Kiririmbi
The names Bernard Matheri alias “Rasta”, Gerald Munyeria Wambugu a.k.a. “Wanugu” and Anthony Ngugi Kanagi also called “Wacucu”, still resonate in most Kenyans’ minds, more than a decade since they were gunned down. This trio of “most wanted” criminals evaded arrest for years despite an elaborate manhunt for them and prizes on their heads.
Focus on these three might have given the impression that they were working in isolation. But they were not alone; they had accomplices, some of them women.
Mary Wanjiku Karirimbi, known as Mary Nyambura Lakwena in the world of crime, was not only one of them but also the second wife of the deadly gangster, the late Bernard Matheri, better known as “Rasta”. Now a totally transformed lady (she gave her life to Jesus while in prison and now runs Jehovah Shalom Ministry based in Kiserian), 42-year old Wanjiku shared her past and present with Family media.
She started stealing at the age of 14 years. She stole KSh70, 000 from her grandmother who used to keep the Tithe for her church and this was part of it. She tells her story………..
“I gave some of the money to my brother who bought a radio and because I wanted clothes I bought a wallet and put some Kshs 4000 in it and took it to my mum and lied to her I had collected it on the road. Thinking that she would use the money to buy me clothes and other house hold goods, she took it to a police station and was rewarded Ksh.20bob to my discouragement.
The spirit of stealing got into me that I once trailed a petrol station owner and stole Kshs.300, 000 and opened boutique .Not known to me the three most wanted criminals were my best customer who bought expensive suits weekly and that’s how I got to know “Rasta” fell in love with him and became part of his gang. He gave me a gun an AK-47, I would approach my clients politely and tell them my mission, and they would give me money or any valuables without struggle.
I got kids but had no time for them so I made sure that I got a born- again maid for them to grow in Christian ways. They all knew I was a business woman always on trips. In all my life as criminal I never killed anyone and I hated pretenders’ infact I was very helpful to many needy women even paid their house rents and gave my cars to my neighbors case they had events like weddings.
In 1999 I commanded a gang to steal Kshs.162 Million from a car carrying the money from Meru, but someone tipped off the police and we were arrested. My family knew me as a girl who never talked much and always alone so the news of me being arrested for attempting robbery was a shock to them and my dad got a heart attack and died.
I was locked up for seven years I didn’t deny any charges because the guilt was killing me .One night after like an year in the cells something strange happened, light filled my room and I heard a voice calling out my name and telling me to change my evil ways. I was so scared and immediately called for the prison Chaplain to pray for me and I got saved and started praying for my fellow prisoners.
I was pardoned after some time but the church I joined, the pastor made advances on me I was angry, backslide and opened a bar and got a boyfriend with whom I got pregnant and that’s when I was diagnosed with uterus cancer and cried to God for healing. Which he did and I realized that He had good plans for me and I got saved again.
I started going to church where Elizabeth Wahome of Single Ladies International Ministry took care of me for a week and took me home and encouraged me to continue spreading the gospel despite people not believing I was changed.
I am grateful to God for giving me another chance I am now changed and preaching to more than 100,000 prisoners all over Kenya through her Shalom Ministry.