Two Kenyans are under mounting pressure to account for millions raised by the diaspora community in support of funeral arrangements for Maryland-based Boaz Ogeto, who died of cancer while in the United States.
Boaz, 36, was popularly known as “the People’s President’ and died from cancer in Delaware on 6 January after almost two years of intense treatment.
The Kenyan diaspora mobilized itself to raise funds for the funeral arrangements, targeting to pool $40,000 towards repatriating his remains to Kenya for burial and “leave something for his wife and son”.
However, Kurunzi News has established that serious questions have emerged over the past few days with the Kenyan community in the US pointing fingers at one, Sam Nyabiosi, who housed the deceased in his final days and Indiana-based Dorothy Ogega, accusing the duo of misappropriating the funds.
Nyabiosi is accused of turning the funeral planning committee into a one-man show after the memorial service which was held on 26 January, reportedly coercing the treasurers into handing him all the money that had been collected. Further allegations are that the duo has been diverting money raised to support Ogeto’s treatment over the past one year.
Ogega, on her part, is accused of being at the forefront pushing for alternative treatment and working in cahoots with Nyabiosi.
The public started questioning the duo after the memorial service when questions about the timeline for the repatriation of the remains was and how the coordination was going to be once the body arrived in Kenya. It has also been claimed that Nyabiosi, working with the deceased’s sister by the name Everline have been isolating the late’s widow throughout his sickness.
Disowned budget
Kurunzi News has confirmed that the widow was not even aware of when her husband’s remains were to be repatriated and was shocked to learn that the body had arrived in Kenya and was at Lee Funeral Home.
The diaspora community has also been upset by the fact that the repatriation was never communicated to the Kenyans who had contributed to his funeral expenses, which led to a bitter fallout between committee members, some of whom told Kurunzi News that they had been forced to disown the budget that was generated by Nyabiosi.
“He insulted us and told us he has been in America for more than 40 years so there’s nothing you are telling me about this. I have been doing this all this long,” a source said.
The budget infuriated members of the community who took to their WhatsApp group to ask why the budget had been inflated, further interrogating why the repatriation program was done in secret without informing the community that had mobilized itself to contribute money towards the funeral.
According to those privy to the goings-on, the Kenyan diaspora had been moved to support the late Ogeto’s family “because he leaves behind a two-year old son and a young widow”.
“We contributed the money and all we wanted was that the funeral expenses would be minimized so that some money can be directed towards helping the widow and Baby Asher,” a source told Kurunzi News.
Some of the budget indicators that raised eyebrows were $3,000 for dressing the family and $16,000 for funeral expenses, which had initially been confirmed to be $14,000.
Kurunzi News understands that the idea of secretly repatriating the remains to Kenya was out of unconfirmed fear that the widow may have been contemplating seeking orders for custody of her husband’s remains.
Nyabiosi and Ogega are also accused of moving the late from hospital to hospice care without the wife’s consent and without the family’s knowledge although it is alleged that Ogeto’s sister Everline may have been part of this scheme.
This is a very sad way of describing 2 people who selflessly took care of Boaz the last year of his life . God will reward them while you throw stones at them. As family, we appreciate them very much for standing in the gap for us. Boaz will not rest well with these two being maligned
God of mercy,please let our brother Boaz’s burial be peaceful and ashame the devil
This whole story is total nonsense. Sam and his entire family cared for the deceased until his passing and all monies collected were properly applied. The writer should be ashamed of (him/her)self for spreading lies.