Nairobi, Kenya – Eight individuals and a medical facility have been charged in court over allegations of defrauding the Social Health Authority (SHA) of more than KSh7 million through falsified medical claims and manipulation of health records.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 6, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) confirmed that the suspects face a series of economic crime charges including conspiracy to commit a felony, fraudulent alteration and falsification of information, acquisition and use of proceeds of crime, cheating, forgery, uttering false documents, and falsification of health records.
The accused persons were identified as Markdhillion Mutsotso, an employee of St. Mark Orthodox Health Centre Limited; Sammy Otieno; Patrick Kanya and Faith Chepkurui, Directors at Jambo Jipya Medical Clinic; Steven Okinyi and Justine Baraka, both clinical officers; Pauline Wanjiru, a nurse; and Naida Mbeyu, a receptionist at Jambo Jipya Medical Clinic. The facility itself, Jambo Jipya Medical Clinic, has also been named as an accused entity.
According to the prosecution, Kanya, Chepkurui, Okinyi, Baraka, Wanjiru, Mbeyu, and Jambo Jipya Medical Clinic conspired to falsify medical information, leading to the irregular payment of KSh2,032,680 by the Social Health Authority. The offences are alleged to have been committed between November 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, at the clinic’s Mtwapa branch in Kilifi County.
Separately, Mutsotso is accused of conspiring to defraud the Authority of KSh5,128,400 between October 2024 and June 2025, while working at St. Mark Orthodox Health Centre Limited in Chavakali, Vihiga County.
All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on a KSh600,000 bond each, pending further mention of the case.
The arraignment follows an ongoing crackdown on fraudulent medical claims that have cost the Social Health Authority millions of shillings.
On Friday, October 3, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed that several suspects were already in custody in connection with the SHA fraud probe. The agency revealed that more arrests are expected as investigations widen.
“We wish to inform the general public that 1,188 files are at various stages of investigation. Currently, five suspects are in custody pending arraignment on Monday, October 6, 2025,” the DCI said in a statement.
The DCI added that efforts to apprehend additional suspects are underway, following approvals from the ODPP.
The suspects are expected to face charges under multiple statutes, including the Penal Code, the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Social Health Insurance Act, and the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
The high-profile case underscores the government’s renewed focus on rooting out corruption and financial malpractice within Kenya’s health sector—particularly in the wake of reforms introduced under the new Social Health Authority framework aimed at promoting transparency and efficiency in the management of health funds.
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