The promise of a lucrative supermarket job in Dubai turned into a nightmare for Peter Kimanga and his family. Kimanga, who had been offered a job paying KSh 150,000 monthly, died under mysterious circumstances just days after arriving in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Kimanga traveled to Dubai with his brother Kelvin Mwangi, both optimistic about their new employment opportunities. The positions were arranged by Julian Wanjiku, a Kenyan agent who charged them KSh 400,000 for the placement.
Upon arrival, the brothers were abandoned by Wanjiku, who became unreachable. Instead, they were met by another agent who housed them in a deplorable apartment in Jeb Ali, a port town southwest of Dubai.
As days passed, the promised jobs never materialized, leaving Kimanga and Mwangi stranded, destitute, and homeless. The dire situation took a severe toll on Kimanga, culminating in his untimely death on May 15.
While postmortem findings indicated heart-related complications as the cause of death, his family disputes this.
They assert that Kimanga, who had no pre-existing health conditions, succumbed to stress and depression from their harsh circumstances.
“My son died out of stress and depression for being homeless. The agent who was supposed to house them threatened them. My son was frustrated after Julian Wanjiku Maina duped us and pocketed KSh 400,000 only to arrive in Dubai and realize it was a job scam,” said Jane Nduta, Kimanga’s mother.
Kimanga’s body was repatriated to Kenya and buried on June 5. The family has reported the incident to the Matangi Police Post in Juja, Kiambu county. Julian Wanjiku admitted to receiving the KSh 400,000 but denied responsibility for the tragic outcome, claiming she was merely a link for the job.
