Girlfriend of Moi’s grandson in unpaid hotel bill saga

A girlfriend of former President Daniel arap Moi's grandson was detained for over a week at a high-end hotel in Kitale for failing to clear a bill after they were booked in for days at the facility.

The boyfriend, Collins Moi, was said to have sneaked out of the hotel last Saturday, leaving her behind.

Hotel administrators said they had no choice but to detain her until the Sh100,000 bill is cleared.

According to Skynest Hotel management, Collins, the son of Mr Jonathan Moi, and his girlfriend Marsha Amario checked in on December 29 at 5pm and booked themselves in for six days as part of her birthday celebrations.

SNEAKED OUT

Marsha is said to be the daughter of the late Naivasha-based businessman Fai Omar Amario, who owned the famed Naivasha winery.

By the next day the bill had shot up to Sh9,000 and they were advised to make some payments but they did not heed. "We tried to engage Collins to pay the bill when it was manageable but he responded that he will pay the following day," said Mr Timothy Simiyu, a manager at the hotel.

After five days, when the hotel management told him to sort out the bill before being provided more services he sneaked out of the hotel leaving the girlfriend stranded.

Last Saturday, he was called by the management and he said he was at Kabarak and that they should treat his girlfriend right as he was sourcing for funds to clear the bill by the following day. The promise was not fulfilled.

Last Tuesday, Marsha called via the hotel phone and he said he was still at Kabarak and that he would send a friend but that didn't happen.

On Wednesday, he was said to have been unavailable on phone when his girlfriend tried to reach him.

BIRTHDAY TREAT

Without any response, the management called the police on Thursday. Marsha was arrested and taken to Kitale Police Station and held overnight.

"He looked like a responsible person. He had so many friends who had surrounded him at the hotel and he bought so many expensive drinks for them," Mr Simiyu said.

At the station, Ms Marsha said she did not expect her boyfriend to abandon her after bringing her all the way from Nairobi. "He told me he was taking me to Kitale since he had a birthday surprise for me. All along I knew he was the one paying for everything only to find myself in this situation," she lamented.

On Thursday, Trans Nzoia West police boss Jackson Mwenga confirmed she would be arraigned.

However, she was released Friday following intervention from a senior member of the Moi family who was said to have promised to clear the bill.