3 Wilson Airport Employees to be Promoted after Returning Tourist Bag with Ksh. 2.4M
Three Wilson Airport Employees are yet to be promoted after they returned a tourist bag containing ksh. 2.4 Million.
Christine Juma 
The trio, namely Joseph Kabangi, a security supervisor at the baggage collection area at Wilson Airport, security staff Martin Kamau, and Brajeliner Fikiri, a policewoman who controls motorists arriving to pick up those who have arrived picked up the bag and due to their honesty and integrity at work, decided to take the bag back to the owner who has been identified as Benson Nickolson a United Kingdom National.
Reports say that after Wilson Airport security Supervisor Joseph Kabangi had sported the bag, he sort the help of Fikiri and Kamau, to screen the bag to ensure there were no explosives or any prohibited items.
On further search, they discovered the bag contained cash in dollars and Kenya shillings, phones, an iPad, and cards.
“We had got his contacts and we called him and he found us in the office, he identified the bag and said the bag was his. If he had not turned up that day we would have booked it in the OB and then we keep it in our safe custody,” stated Kabangi.
Mr. Kabango further added that travelers frequently leave their belongings at the airport, where they store them for at least 90 days before turning them over to the Kenya Revenue Authority.
“Integrity is our core value, it is our business. I will assure them they will always get their items back,” added Kabangi.
Funny enough the whole ordeal took place in the absence of CCTV cameras which the tourist requested should be installed immediately.
Below is an official email written by the tourist to applaud the three airport officials for their good work.
Security team at Wilson Airport that secured Benson Nickolson's bag containing millions of shillings. [Courtesy/Wilson Airport, KAA]
From: nickolsonbenson@gmail.com
Received: 10/30/2022 5:08 PM
To:
Subject: My experience in Kenya and airport staff
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Benson Nickolson from the United Kingdom. I am writing this email to share my experience in Kenya. I arrived in Kenya with my family for a three week vacation. I visited various animal conservancies and game parks within Kenya and Tanzania. We traveled by road, SGR and Air interchangeably. As a result, I used various facilities including; Mombasa Airport, Kenyatta Airport, Malindi Airport, Wilson, SGR, Maasai Mara, Serengeti among others.
I wish to draw your attention to an incident that happened in the middle of our journey in Wilson Airport that had the potential of ruining our lives. We arrived in Wilson Airport with my entire group from Mara where we were going to the hotel in readiness for the following day’s trip to the coast. We had many bags and luggage and as the central person, I was in charge of all the resources and finances, so I had a substantial amount of cash and plastic money in form of cards that facilitated our movements and comforts.
The bags were brought from the aircraft with a trolley and passengers were allowed to collect their bags. With the help of our rider, we took our bags and headed to the hotel. When we reached the hotel, I noticed one of my bags was missing, coincidentally it was the bag carrying our cash, valuables and cards. I immediately called our rider who had been with us for more than one week, He checked both vans but could not find the bag. I panicked and asked him to go straight to the airport as I took a cab from the hotel to the airport also. On my way, I called the airline to check if it was left on the plane. They called back regrettably. I asked the airline staff to immediately check the CCTV of the airport, I was shocked to be told that the airport does not have CCTV.
At this stage, I developed temporal insanity as it appeared we had no hopes of recovering the bags. While on traffic around Kenyatta hospital, I got a strange call from +254705211977 where the caller identified himself as Mr. Martin, he asked to speak to Mr. Benson and I told him roughly that am I was in the middle of something and would call him later. I thought I was speaking to a porter I met in the Mara whom I gave my local number. He called again and insisted to know my identity and this time he mentioned that he was calling from Wilson airport security office, I calmed down and told him that I am the one, he told me that a bag was recovered at the pickup point and was trying to trace the owner. I told him with disbelief that I was almost at the airport, I told my driver to drive fast. I arrived at the airport and he directed me to the office where I found him with his supervisor, Mr. Joseph and a police woman. I found my bag and my wallet and cards spread on the table. The long story short, I found my bag and all content intact.
All the money totalling to around 19,000 USD and some thousands of Kenya shillings were all intact. All my cards were found intact. All other valuables which included a regalia given to me by my late grandmother was also intact. It was a day dream for me. I called my people in the hotel to break the good news and they insisted to send one of them with a cab to verify the mystery.
Without any CCTV , I could not comprehend how my bag with such valuable items could still be found and that the owner was called to collect it. My brother lost a tenth of that in South Africa where they have a robust CCTV but could get anything. Therefore, it is not about systems, it is the human factor, the people, the staff who are the greatest asset. I had no recourse, that was my negligence, but I still got all my stuff and money. My brother arrived from the hotel and I confirmed with tears of joy and shock.
They said our bag was recovered at the pick up point when we collected bags and I dropped the small one. In my country, this is not possible to recover. Only in Kenya, I can assure you.
I am writing this to confirm to the Kenyan Authorities that I will spread this good news all over the world and affirm Kenya as the destination of choice for tourism.
To all persons working with or leading Martin Kammauh, please receive this message of thanks. This is the best experience a customer could have in a foreign land.
Our next holiday was scheduled to another country, we have since reviewed to come back to Kenya due to the experience we got from this official and the team.
We will also sell Nrb airport as the airport of choice to the world.
Finally, allow me to recommend installation of CCTV system in the airport for Wilson airport.
Thank you all,
May God bless Mr. Martin, Mr. Joseph and the police woman.
From,
Benson, Family and friends
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