How Shot Mask Vendor’s Father Was Scammed Out of Ksh200,000
Jonah Kariuki, the father of Boniface Kariuki—the young mask vendor who was shot by police during the June 17 protests—has lost Ksh200,000 to fraudsters pretending to be officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA).
According to a statement from the family spokesperson, Emily Wanjiru, the conmen reached out to Mr. Kariuki, claiming they would help pay his son’s hospital bills.
They told him that they were working with SHA and that the family needed to be registered in the health scheme before assistance could be provided.
Wanjiru explained that during the call, the scammers convinced Kariuki that a registration fee was required to process the support.
Trusting their words, Kariuki gave out his personal information, including his M-Pesa PIN. The fraudsters then used this information to empty his mobile money account.
Speaking to Newshub.co.ke, Kariuki confirmed that he was indeed scammed, though he initially thought he was sending a smaller amount.
He recounted that the fraudsters had asked him to send Ksh20,500 to facilitate the registration. However, during the transaction, he accidentally keyed in a higher figure—Ksh200,500.
“Yes, it’s true, I was conned out of Ksh200,000. It was an unfortunate mistake. They had requested Ksh20,500, but I mistakenly entered Ksh200,500 while making the payment,” Kariuki told our reporter.
After the money was sent, the fraudsters immediately switched off their phones, making it impossible to contact them. Kariuki also revealed that the confirmation SMS for the transaction was mysteriously deleted from his phone, further complicating efforts to trace the money.
He is now working with the authorities, hoping to recover the stolen funds. Despite his efforts, there has been little progress so far, leaving the family in a state of frustration and financial distress.
Kenyans are being urged to stay vigilant and avoid falling for similar scams. The public should note that registering for the Social Health Authority scheme is completely free.
There are three official ways to register: using USSD codes (which don’t require internet), online platforms, or through employers for businesses and workers.
Meanwhile, Kariuki said the family is planning to hold a press briefing outside Kenyatta National Hospital to update the public on Boniface’s condition.
Boniface, who is only 22 years old, has already undergone two major surgeries to remove bullet fragments from his head.
He was seriously injured after being shot during the protests and was rushed to KNH’s Accident and Emergency Department at around 3:16 PM in a critical condition.
The family remains hopeful about Boniface’s recovery while also calling for justice and support during this difficult time.
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