Kenyan student stranded after gambling Ksh.2.8 million school fees

Dismas Mutai took to Facebook to candidly narrate how he ended up gambling away all the money meant to support his education, expressing regret at his actions while also begging for forgiveness from family, relatives and Kenyans who helped fundraise for his education.

In a poignant confession, Mutai admitted that he had squandered over Ksh.2.8 million on the gambling platform Aviator, revealing that he had now been left penniless and was not only struggling to stay afloat but also fund his studies in the UK.

While begging Kenyans to now bail him out, he wrote: "Kenyans of goodwill, I’m not okey. I will no longer pretend to be okey. I have fallen into a trap, disastrous trap. A trap I never anticipated in my life."

“Depression is slowly taking me to the grave. You must have even noticed an usual change of behaviour in me. Aviator flew away with Kshs.2.8 million people’s money."

He pleaded, "(Please) don't let me die as young as I’m. To my Mum and the entire family, forgive me. I understand the level of trust you had in me. I have weaknesses, just like any other human being."

"This has become my greatest weakness. You know the ambition I had. I wanted a better life for all us.”

Mutai has also apologised to the community, saying he had participated in many school and church activities.

“I’m truly sorry. Perhaps UK was not meant for me but just give me a chance to survive so that I can be a living testimony to many,” he implored.

According to his letter of admission to the UK university, the full-time course was to last from 13 January 2025 to 16 January 2026.

“Thank you for your application to study at Anglia Ruskin University. You are able to view the progress of your application via ARU applicant portal,” the university wrote to Mutai in January.

Taking to his Facebook account, Tirop IK, Mutai's friend, revealed that he and Mutai went to school together and that he decided to call his old pal after seeing his distress story online.

Tirop revealed that his family sold a piece of land to fund Mutai's fees and travel expenses—but there was a problem. 

“A problem arose for Mutai [because] a bank statement was hard to find for him to pay his school fees. A friend of the family was approached and he offered to deposit Ksh. 1.8 million to Mutai’s account,” explained Tirop.

He added that another person was approached and he also deposited another Ksh.1 million to the same account.

Tirop wrote on his social media pages that the plan was to return the money to its owners later, just after the bank statement had matured. 

But that was never to be. Like many young men, Mutai was tempted to try his luck on the Aviator betting site with the hope that he would refund the money. He would instead helplessly watch as all the funds got swallowed up in his addictive gambling habits. 

“The entire Sh2.8 million vanished. The bank statement didn’t mature. Money all gone. He [Mutai] hasn’t reported to school,” Tirop wrote.

“He is stuck in between a rock and a hard place and he is calling for help. Aviator should and must be regulated.”

Aviator is a crash-type game where players bet on how long they think a virtual airplane can fly before crashing.

The longer the aircraft stays airborne, the higher the multiplier value assigned, hence more potential winning amounts.

Players have to decide when they want to cash in before their plane takes off. Its simplicity and strategy-driven nature appeal to many gamers across different age brackets.