Father of injured protester Boniface Kariuki scammed Sh200,000 while facing Sh1 million hospital bill
Jonah Kariuki, speaking to the media outside the hospital, revealed that he lost Sh200,500 to fraudsters posing as officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA), while desperately trying to raise funds for his son’s treatment.
As 22-year-old Boniface Kariuki lies in the Intensive Care Unit at Kenyatta National Hospital, fighting for his life after being shot in the head by police during the June 17 protests in Nairobi, his father is grappling with a different kind of pain.
Jonah Kariuki, speaking to the media outside the hospital, revealed that he lost Sh200,500 to fraudsters posing as officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA), while desperately trying to raise funds for his son’s treatment.
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What began as a plea for urgent financial support quickly turned into a costly scam.
According to Jonah, the money was meant to be a small facilitation fee to unlock medical assistance for Boniface’s care.
He had authorised a Sh20,500 transfer to the supposed officials. However, the person tasked with sending the funds mistakenly transferred the entire Sh200,500.
“The person who went to deposit the amount mistakenly sent Sh200,500,” he explained.
The scammers, posing as SHA officials, vanished immediately after receiving the funds, leaving the family in anguish and with no way to trace them.
Jonah reported the matter to the police. He had also planned to visit Safaricom to request an official M-Pesa statement that could help track the transaction and identify the fraudsters. However, he was called back to the hospital before he could follow through.
“I had planned to go, but I got called back to the hospital,” he said.
Kariuki’s family disclosed that the hospital bill had already hit Sh1 million and was continuing to climb.
“We don’t have the final bill, but the preliminary figure was around Sh1 million.”
Boniface remains in the ICU, under constant medical supervision.
Emily Wanjiru, the family’s spokesperson, confirmed that he is still on life support. She also called on the justice system to hold accountable those responsible for the shooting.
“No one from the Homicide Unit or the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has contacted the family. That’s why we’ve appointed a lawyer to represent us, even in court,” Wanjiru said.
“The left side of Boniface’s body is completely paralysed. The normal brain activity score is 15/15, but our brother’s is only 2/15.”
“Yesterday, there was a slight improvement. He still cannot speak, and we don’t know what kind of life he will have after this. He is fighting for his life.”
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