Footage of a man burning Sh1,000 notes has sparked outrage among Kenyans on social media.
In the viral video seen by TNX Africa, the Kenyan man, dressed in a white vest, black sweatpants and a cap, spreads several Sh1,000 notes on top of a laptop before lighting a matchstick.
Singer Rihanna’s song Desperado plays in the background, though the man appears to have been speaking originally.
Behind him is a black and white carpet, a plastic chair with utensils on top and a gas cylinder.
The clip has drawn mixed reactions online, with many Kenyans speculating that the notes could be fake.
Hii ni ujinga. pic.twitter.com/PXl1JZPvuT
— ??????©?? (@Richie_mjamo) March 16, 2026
Under Section 350 of the Penal Code, any person who forges a will, document of title to land, judicial record, power of attorney, bank note or currency note is liable to life imprisonment.
A court may also order that such documents be forfeited.
Additionally, knowingly possessing or circulating fake money can attract imprisonment of up to five years or more, depending on the charges.
On X, user Wasulwa E wrote, “What is the penalty for being intentionally in possession of fake bank notes in Kenya? Because these notes look fake.”
Another user, Bruno Titus, added, “Huyu bado ako na plastic chair, sufuria inatoshea chips mwitu, mafuta nusu lita na anafanya nonsense. Alafu kesho utapata atalia pale police station tumchangie ya bail.”
User Gatu Franklin joked, “Utapata kuna mtu anatag @DCI_Kenya.”
The video surfaced days after another TikToker was arrested for posting a clip of himself tearing Sh100 notes.
According to a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, detectives from the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit apprehended Maximilian Motara, a suspect who had been evading authorities following a high-profile incident involving the destruction of national currency.
Motara was tracked down after the video went viral, sparking public condemnation and prompting an investigation by specialised officers.
Authorities said mutilating Kenyan currency is a serious offence that undermines the integrity of legal tender.
Under Section 367A of the Penal Code, it is a criminal offence to deliberately deface, tear, cut or otherwise mutilate a currency note without lawful authority.