Northern Kenya

Nomad Hospital faces DCI probe over alleged forgery in protest victims claims

Protesters carry a Kenyan flag after lighting a fire along Tom Mboya Street on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, while demonstrating against the government. (Photo: Justine Ondieki/EV)

By Abdirahman Khalif | Wednesday, July 3, 2024

These documents falsely claimed the hospital had treated students injured during nationwide protests on June 25, 2024.

Nomad Hospital in Marsabit on Tuesday found itself embroiled in controversy after allegedly collaborating with a teacher from Marsabit Boys' School to forge documents.

These documents falsely claimed the hospital had treated students injured during nationwide protests on June 25, 2024.

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The fabricated bill amounted to Sh150,000, and it was submitted to journalist Hanifa Adan, who managed the M-Changa fund, set up to cover medical expenses for those injured in the demonstrations.

However, upon investigation, it was quickly established that the hospital had not treated any injured individuals from the protests.

Dr Ibrahim Wache, the owner of Nomad Hospital, responded to the revelations on Wednesday. In a statement, the doctor said he had immediately terminated the hospital's administrator responsible for the forgery.

"Upon learning that funds had been deposited into our account under false pretences, I conducted an internal investigation. It became evident that the administrator had been deceived by a teacher into participating in a fraudulent scheme," he said.

Dr Ibrahim also said that he reported the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and they are now handling the case.

After the forgery was uncovered, the hospital refunded the Sh150,000. Hanifa confirmed that the refunded amount was redirected to Pamela Akoth, the mother of Ian, a student allegedly shot three times by police during the protests.

The incident sparked widespread outrage on social media platforms, particularly on X, where users condemned Nomad Hospital's actions and called for severe penalties against those involved in document forgery for financial gain.

Mohamed Onyango, an active user on X, expressed his dismay, stating, "Forging documents to divert money intended for victims of police brutality is a disgraceful act."

Another X user, Lenny Papaito, drew parallels between the forgery scandal and pervasive corruption in Kenyan society and politics.

"Our leaders are a reflection of society. This incident highlights the lengths people will go to for personal gain, even during times of crisis," she said.

Hanifa, overseeing the M-Changa fund's disbursements, noted that attempts to defraud, similar to the one involving Nomad Hospital, were not uncommon.

She emphasised her commitment to rooting out such fraudulent activities, vowing to dismantle any facility found engaging in such misconduct.

Dr Ibrahim, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, extended an apology to Gen Zs affected by the scandal.

He assured the public of his full cooperation with authorities to ensure that appropriate legal actions were taken against all individuals responsible for the forgery.

Meanwhile, the teacher implicated in the scandal denied any wrongdoing, claiming innocence in an interview with Nation newspapers.

"I visited the hospital upon hearing reports that injured students were receiving treatment there. I had no knowledge of any fraudulent activity involving forged documents," the teacher asserted.