Tom Ikonya: Life after ‘kiss of poverty’ that drained my Sh700,000
Mr Tom Wathika Ikonya wails in distress in Maragua town on November 16, 2022, after he lost Sh 700,000 in six days.
It is three months since Mr Tom Ikonya, 60, got a ‘kiss of poverty’ from a female Murang’a bar attendant who conned him out of Sh700, 000.
Mr Ikonya had disposed of an asset before he travelled from Kajiado County to Maragua town in Murang’a County on November 10, 2022.
A week later, he was broke, homeless and frustrated.
He had lived and worked in Maragua between 1998 and 2017 as a plant operator in a plantation before he was transferred to Kajiado County.
“I felt that it was good to return to Maragua to start a meat and soup business and to say hello to my long-time friends,” he said.
While at a bar in Maragua, Mr Ikonya bought drinks for fellow patrons before he got a female companion. By the time the bar closed down, he had become close to the woman.
“The woman kissed me once on the lips … I followed her to a waiting boda boda, which took us to her house,” he said.
By December 17, he had exhausted his Sh700,000 and even borrowed Sh10, 000 to settle his bills.
Today, Mr Ikonya’s experiences in Maragua are still fresh on his mind.
“There was no justification for me to go to Maragua town, I had no reason to trust anyone in that town,” Mr Ikonya told Nation.Africa on phone, adding that he sank into depression after losing his money.
“I started having nightmares, I would see women chasing me in my dreams,” he said.
Because of the nightmares, his relatives suggested that he should visit a mental hospital.
“I ran away from my brother’s home and rented a single room in Ruiru town, in Kiambu County after the Maragua incident. I had received my National Social Security Fund savings amounting to Sh50,000,” he said.
Mr Ikonya has lived alone for the past 30 years, after separating from his wife.
“I have two grown-up children who are employed. I had not thought about remarrying but after I got the cash, I thought of getting a woman,” he said. He suspects that the woman who stole his money spiked his drinks with drugs.
How Tom Ikonya, 60, lost Sh700,000 in one week. 23/11/12
Nation.Africa has established that police officers went after the woman after reading Mr Ikonya’s story. She, however, escaped.
“Before she fled, the woman stole the day’s sale from her employer,” revealed a detective attached to Maragua Police Station, adding that Mr Ikonya had landed in a criminal den.
The owner of the bar and his two employees had, in July 2022, been arrested by Maragua police for allegedly transferring Sh300,000 from Mr Samuel Kamau’s mobile phone wallet to their accounts.
Mr Kamau had sold his property before going to the same bar to enjoy himself.
“I do not know how I gave out my PIN to the two waitresses who transferred all my money before borrowing Sh2, 000 from Fuliza (mobile overdraft facility),” he told Nation.Africa.
The suspects were later arrested before their employer later signed an agreement with a lawyer on how they would pay the money.
Eight months later, Mr Kamau says he is yet to receive all his money.
Coincidentally, Mr Ikonya had consulted Mr Kamau about the meat and soup business in Maragua.
“I acted in good faith; I had no intention of stealing from Mr Ikonya who kept on saying he had lots of cash. I witnessed his generosity first-hand…For just recognising him, he would give out Sh500. He would sip your beer and if you did not complain, he would buy you more beers,” Mr Kamau said.
“I forgot about the business idea and got sucked into his drinking spree,” said Mr Kamau.
“I tried warning him against the overtures of that woman but he could hear none of it,” he said.
Read: The Great Disappointment
Ikonya’s elder brother Mr John Kibui told Nation.Africa that since the incident, his brother hardly trusts anyone. He does not show his relatives where he lives.
“Tell the world that I am alive and kicking…Tell women that I no longer have the desire to be kissed even though I have some little cash. I am no longer generous. I will never again let people drive me into poverty and self-pity,” he said.
“I ask men never to carry huge amounts of cash into bars, they should avoid the company of women and men who pretend to be nice,” he added.
His 2023 New Year resolution was to get born again, stop drinking alcohol and keep off adventure.
“I am trying very hard to get born-again and receive Jesus Christ as my personal saviour. If I succeed in doing that, I will live long to see 2065," he concluded, disclosing that he lives in Eldoret with his relatives.
