Sedgwick Kenya Insurance Brokers CEO was to record statement with DCI over probe in Sh240 million KPC tender
Sedgwick Insurance Brokers CEO Sammy Methu Kiragu dies by suicide in Nairobi
Fresh details have emerged to show the late Chief Executive Officer of Sedgwick Kenya insurance Brokers Sammy Methu Kiragu was under probe in a Sh240 million tender at the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).
Kiragu was to appear before detectives from Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Insurance Fraud Investigations Unit on March 12, 2025 for statement recording over an ongoing probe.
Kiragu died after jumping from the seventh floor of his office at the 4th Avenue Towers on Fourh Ngong Avenue in Nairobi in an apparent suicide mission.
The incident on Tuesday March 11, 2025 in the afternoon, police said.
Police said they are investigating suicide.
Whereas the insurance brokers’ offices are on the 14th floor, witnesses said he took a lift to the seventh floor where he leapt to the ground floor in an apparent suicide.
He died on the spot.
Details show he was to record a statement over an ongoing probe where Sedgwick Kenya Insurance Brokers and UAP Old Mutual Insurance Company Limited have been accused of alleged fraud in a tender floated by KPC for the provision of Provision of Insurance Brokerage Services for a period of three years.
A letter from the Insurance Fraud Investigations Unit to Old Mutual revealed the ongoing probe.
Head of the unit Daniel Kandie had in a letter summoned those with knowledge on the tender and grilling was scheduled and rescheduled.
“This office is investigating an alleged case of Conspiracy and contravention of the Insurance Act in respect to the above mentioned subject, whereby Sedgwick Insurance Brokers and UAP Old Mutual Insurance Company Limited participated in the tendering process and Sedgwick Insurance Brokers Limited were evaluated as the lowest bidder hence winning the tender.”
“Our preliminary investigations have pointed out that, Sedgwick Insurance Brokers and UAP Old Mutual Insurance Company Limited had prior undertakings on how premiums could be adjusted to make a sum total of USD.1,911,755.66 to suit the market price.”
“In view of the above, we kindly but urgently request that UAP Old Mutual Insurance Company Limited to nominate a person conversant with the matter to appear before the Head of Insurance Fraud investigations Unit on Friday the 21st February, 2025 at 10.00 hours at our office for interview and statement recording,” the letter dated February 18, 2025 said in part.
The executives from Old Mutual recorded their statements and it was the turn for Sedgwick to do so.
Speculations are that this drove him to the suicide mission. The company is yet to comment on the saga.
Police said the probe into the suicide incident is ongoing.
Police arrived at the scene and processed it before moving the body to mortuary pending autopsy.
Staff at the office were shocked to learn about the incident.
The company says on its website it has in the past 40 years been at the forefront of providing insurance services to clients in diverse professions, in both the public and private sectors.
These clients have been drawn from airlines, air charter companies, power and energy providers, tour operators, airport authorities, construction companies, media houses, financial institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), hotels and golf clubs, agricultural and manufacturing concerns, exporters, among others.
“Due to the international connection that we enjoy, we have also been able to call upon a rich experience and a wide resource base to offload a variety of risks in the international market.”
“Sedgwick provides tailor-made products to meet the requirements of all clients ranging from private individuals, professionals, entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to large organizations in all sectors,” it says.
Sedgwick has cultivated an excellent relationship with all the stakeholders in the Insurance and Risk Management value chain.
Sedgwick has handled some of the biggest and most complex risks in the country from conceptualization, implementation and operations