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How SportPesa jackpot winner Abisai stunned Helb officials with loan repayment


The winner of Sh221 million SportPesa jackpot Samuel Abisai on Friday cleared his student loan arrears in a lump sum payment to Higher Education Loans Board (Helb).

Details are still scanty on whether he walked into Helb’s offices at Anniversary Towers with wads of cash or a cheque for the Sh256, 000 payment. What is known, though, is that the money was part of the proceeds he won from the jackpot last month.

He walked into the board’s offices on Tuesday dressed in an untucked casual shirt and trouser and carrying a black backpack.

Mr Abisai benefitted from the loan while studying at the University of Nairobi.

Samuel Abisai, who won Sh221 million in the SportPesa mega jackpot, displays his cheque during the presentation ceremony in Nairobi. PHOTO | STELLA CHERONO
Samuel Abisai, who won Sh221 million in the SportPesa mega jackpot, displays his cheque during the presentation ceremony in Nairobi. PHOTO | STELLA CHERONO

Impressed Helb officials from the Loan Recovery Department quickly prepared an undergraduate clearance certificate that they awarded him as soon as the loan’s records were cleared.

SHOW RESPONSIBILITY

“I made the decision to pay off this loan as a show of responsibility for the funds I was given while I was in the university and also to enable other deserving students access Helb loans,” said Mr Abisai.

According to Helb Chief executive officer Charles Ringera, the board is committed to recover outstanding loans so as to sustain current students in universities.

“Helb is also aggressively sourcing for external funds with various financial institutions, universities, county governments and constituencies in order to empower the dreams of other students,” said Mr Ringera.

Weeks after winning the SportPesa mega jackpot, Samuel Abisai became an online sensation after posting a holiday picture on his Facebook page that raised eyebrows.

PHOTO | COURTESY
PHOTO | COURTESY

He posted a photo of himself standing with a white woman at an unknown location.  A safari van in the background gave the impression of the two being on a game drive.

Social media users taunted him for being a spend thrift.