Court slam brakes on man's philanthropy to save his pension

The High Court has barred a 61-year-old man from accessing his bank account after his children complained he would deplete his pension in a philanthropy spree that included randomly gifting pregnant women Sh2,000 each.

Justice Weldon Korir yesterday ordered Family Bank to restrict the man, named JKK - (we have concealed his identity because a doctor’s report suggests a mental condition) - from running his account said to have Sh2 million.  

The judge instead directed that his 36-year-old son named SM should be allowed to withdraw Sh20,000 to take care of the man.

It is rare, if not impossible, to find a selfless stranger dishing out gifts, leave alone money. And with the tough economic times, the last thought a person would have is to touch his retirement savings.

JKK’s case is special. His son told the court that he was too generous that he splashed his pension on strangers, risking emptying his account soon if his good deeds are not tamed.

JKK has, however, not been gifting everyone. The court heard that his benevolent acts had only benefited women. 

Justice Korir heard that the father of four gifted any pregnant women or women with children he came across Sh2,000 each after withdrawing the money from the automated teller machines.

Any woman who was neither pregnant nor had a child on the other hand walked away with Sh1,000.

“The subject has been withdrawing funds from his Family Bank Account and randomly giving it away to female strangers he meets, where he gives Sh2,000 to expectant women with children and Sh1,000 to those without children,” court papers exclusively seen by The Standard read.

From the court documents, it is not clear where JKK worked before retirement. However, his son says he had been diagnosed with delusional disorder and alcohol abuse since 2018.

A doctor’s report filed in court read that he had a history of chronic alcohol abuse and that he was easily agitated.

The judge heard that the situation had deteriorated such that JKK, a man born in Kirinyaga, needed care and someone to manage his accounts.

SM told the court they first sought help from Sate authorities in Kirinyaga. He said they reported to the Deputy County Commissioner in Kirinyaga about their father’s rather rare behaviour.

The commissioner then wrote to the lender, urging it to regulate JKK’s withdrawals.

Family Bank instead advised the family to approach the court for orders that would allow them access and manage his accounts.

“JKK is incapable of managing his affairs and it is deemed that a manager should be appointed by an order of the court to manage such affairs. He has been withdrawing money from his bank account and dishing it out to strangers, quickly depleting his savings. Unless this court urgently issues orders for management of his accounts to his son, all the money in the savings account will be squandered by the subject,” the court heard.

Needed restriction

SM’s plea was supported by his siblings named MM, DM and PK, all who said their father needed some restriction. They told the court their father was being cared for by SM, as their mother had died.

The four siblings told the court their father needed care and medication, and as such they needed some money from the account.

The court directed that SM would be required to account for the money he would withdraw monthly.

The case will be mentioned in July.