Family Sues Mater Hospital for Detaining Body of Chess Champion Robert Mwangi over Sh6.6 Million Bill

A family in Nairobi has sued Mater Hospital for detaining the body of their deceased kin over a Sh6.6 million unpaid medical bill.

37-year-old Robert Ndirangu Mwangi, a lawyer, an international chess champion, and a person living with disability, died of coronavirus-related complications while undergoing treatment at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

On Tuesday, the court heard that the deceased fell ill in April and was taken to Mater Hospital where he was later diagnosed with COVID-19. Unfortunately, he died at the hospital on June 14th due to COVID-19-related complications.

At the time of his death, his medical bill had accumulated to Sh10 million but his family managed to offset some of it, leaving a balance of Sh6,654,011.

The family wrote to the hospital requesting them to release his body for burial as they look for funds to settle the outstanding bill but the facility declined. 

The deceased’s father Joseph Mwangi filed a case at the Milimani commercial court seeking an unconditional release of the body forthwith for interment.

But in a replying affidavit, Matter Hospital told Senior Principal Magistrate Lynne Gicheha that the amount owed to the hospital was indisputable and that the engagement between the two parties was contractual.

The facility argues that although the plaintiff is entitled to the order for the release of the body, the same should be conditioned on Mwangi making an acceptable payment plan.

A subsequent hearing of the matter will be held on July 15th.