NAIROBI, Kenya — The family of Boniface Kariuki, who was shot at close range by a police officer during protests in Nairobi on Tuesday, June 17, is facing a fresh tragedy. His father, Jonah Kariuki, has revealed he was conned out of KSh 200,000 by scammers who deceptively promised to assist with his critically injured son’s soaring hospital bill.
During a recent press briefing, Jonah Kariuki explained the harrowing ordeal. A con artist instructed him to send Ksh 20,000, ostensibly for a “registration process” to access help for the bill. Upon providing his banking details, the scammers gained unauthorized access to his account, ultimately siphoning off a total of Ksh 200,500.
Mr. Kariuki confirmed that he promptly filed a report at the local police station, and investigations are currently underway to apprehend those responsible. “Kuna mtu alikuwa ameniambia nimpee Ksh 20,000 atanisaidia kwa bill lakini mwenye alituma akatuma Ksh 200,500. Nimechukua OB,” Jonah said, indicating he had obtained an Occurrence Book (OB) number for the report.
The financial blow comes as Boniface’s medical expenses continue to mount significantly. His father disclosed that the hospital bill had already reached a preliminary figure of Ksh 1 million and was increasing daily.
“We don’t have the actual bill, but the preliminary bill was placed at around Ksh 1 million and it is still going up,” Jonah stated.
An update on Boniface’s grave condition was provided by Emily Wanjiru, the family spokesperson, who confirmed he remains on life support at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Boniface has undergone two critical surgeries to remove the bullet lodged in his head and is currently recuperating under round-the-clock supervision in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Wanjiru painted a stark picture of his prognosis: “The left side (of Boniface Kariuki) can never come back to life as it is completely damaged. The brain capacity of a human being should be 15/15 but for our brother, it is 2/15.” (A score of 15/15 on the Glasgow Coma Scale indicates full consciousness, while 2/15 signifies severe brain impairment).
She added, “Yesterday, there was a little bit of change, he can’t talk and we don’t know how his life will be after this. He is fighting for his life.”
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Compounding their anguish, the aggrieved family expressed deep frustration over the perceived lack of engagement from official investigative bodies.
“No one has contacted the family, not homicide or the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and that’s why we decided to have a lawyer who can represent us even in court,” Wanjiru revealed.
The family is resolute in their call for the judicial system to swiftly dispense justice by convicting and sentencing the police officers responsible for Boniface’s critical injuries.
The multiple ordeals faced by Boniface Kariuki’s family underscore the profound human cost of the recent protests and highlight the urgent need for both medical support and unwavering legal accountability.
