Drama was witnessed at Bondeni estate in Nakuru on Monday, February 20, after a family abandoned a casket containing the remains of their kin at a local eatery over an outstanding debt of Ksh400,000.
The family dropped the coffin at the business premises in protest of what they termed as reluctance by the owner of the hotel to pay the money.
Addressing members of the press, the deceased’s nephew Benson Mobegi claimed that the late had loaned the businessman his life savings.
Richard Ogendi, aged 60, died two weeks ago before he could be paid the amount he saved in a micro-savings group.
Ogendi who operated a boda boda business in the area is said to have saved the money in the group for about eight years and attempts to recover it resulted in unending excuses from the businessman identified as Simon Waweru.
“Since his (Ogendi) death, the businessman has been avoiding us. That is why we decided to leave my uncle’s remains here. We don’t want the full amount paid, but for him to commit to settling the debt,” Mobegi said.
Waweru, also known as Baba Martin, is said to have fled the scene when the family arrived at his business premises early Monday morning.
Nakuru OCPD Martin Masika confirmed the incident, saying police had advised the family of the deceased to take the body for burial in Kisii or return it to the morgue and lodge a civil case after laying their loved one to rest.
Residents who milled around the business premises claimed that Waweru, who is the founder of the micro-savings group, had conned several other members of the public their hard-earned money in the recent past.
