Some of those who killed Dr Ouko are alive and known, says Troon

Twenty years since the murder of Dr Robert Ouko, Scotland Yard detective John Troon, who led investigations into the murder, revisits the shocking death that exposed the powerful forces in the Moi regime and helped change the face of Kenyan politics.

In an email interview with Sunday Nation, Mr Troon who has since retired and does voluntary work, speaks about the roadblocks that were placed in his way by powerful forces.

Their aim was to defeat his efforts to find the killers of Kenya’s most celebrated Foreign Affairs minister .

Dr Ouko’s charred remains were discovered at the foot of Got Alila, about three kilometres from his Koru home by a herdsboy, three days after he had gone missing on the night of February 12/13.

The government, through the then Voice of Kenya, had put out an announcement the previous day that Dr Ouko was missing and appealed to anybody with information on his whereabouts to get in touch with the government or the minister’s family.

Mass protests

Following the mass protests and civil unrest that followed the discovery of Dr Ouko’s remains, the government flew in Mr Troon and two other detectives from the Scotland Yard to investigate the murder.

In the interview, Mr Troon revealed how agents of the State, mainly officers from the Special Branch attached to his team of detectives, spiritedly tried to frustrate his investigations by torturing potential key witnesses and contaminating evidence gathered by his team.

He maintains that Dr Ouko’s killers and the motive behind the murder was well known to some government officials who did everything possible to scuttle his investigations into the death.

The retired detective also explains why he has deliberately avoided keeping in touch with members of the slain minister’s family in order to protect them from the suspects who may want to harm them if they realize that they are still in touch with him.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

Q: Do you think the truth about Dr Ouko’s murder will ever come out?

A: As far as I am aware, the truth, supported by evidence, is already known to many people in Kenya. This is supported by my investigations, the Judicial Commission of Enquiry, unfortunately disbanded by the previous Government midway through the evidence, and latterly the findings of the Parliamentary Select Committee Investigations concluded in 2005.

However, I can say that it is within my knowledge that at the time of my investigations concerted efforts were made at the highest levels of the previous Government to withhold the truth, and obstruct my investigations.

Q: Did you expect the Kibaki administration to get to the bottom of the murder mystery?

A: I fully expected the Kibaki administration to make every possible effort to clear up this murder and bring to justice those responsible. I understand that this was a major clause in the election mandate.

The identities of the principal suspects are well known to those in authority in Kenya and I believe that there is more than sufficient evidence to charge them and place them before the courts as recommended in the Parliamentary Select Committee Report.

The report itself contains several constructive recommendations which if implemented would generate a successful conclusion to this murder. I am not aware that the recommendations have been pursued, if not, why not?