Two taxi operators killed by gangsters

Tom Otieno | NATION
Wananchi mill around one of the two taxis whose owners, James Awiti and James Richard Owiti, were shot dead in Riat area, Kisumu, on January 25, 2011 night by three gunmen who pounced on them as they drove to their homes. Insecurity in the area is rife with the villagers citing several deaths related to thuggery.

What you need to know:

  • Third driver robbed of vehicle in raid on his compound at Otonglo market

Two taxi operators were killed and a third one robbed of his car by gangsters in Riat and Otonglo areas on the Kisumu-Busia road.

Mr James Awiti met his death a few metres from his home near the Riat market moments after he left his taxi operating base in Kisumu Town.

According to his wife Lilian Awiti, they heard gunshots from two directions on Monday night and wondered what was happening.

Came running

A neighbour later came running and informed her that her husband had been shot.

“I rushed to the scene and found him already dead, with gunshot wounds on his head, neck, chest and stomach,” said Mrs Awiti.

About a hundred metres from where Mr Awiti was shot, the gangsters pounced on another taxi operator, dragged him out of his car and shot him before making away with his money, mobile phone and documents.

Mr Richard Omondi operated at Kisumu Airport and had talked to his wife 30 minutes before he was killed at 9.30pm on the same day, five hundred metres from his house.

Mr Omondi’s wife Gladys Adhiambo said her husband informed him that he was on his way home after doing some shopping in town.

Little did she know this would be the last conversation between them.

In the third incident, Mr Sam Odondi was robbed of his car in his compound at Otonglo market, two kilometres from where the other taxi operators were killed.