Outrage over killer driver freed on bail

Residents of Kayole Junction in Nairobi demonstrate at the Kayole Police Station on August 18, 2015, seeking justice for Ms Agnes Nyambura, who was hit and killed by a car in the estate. PHOTO | NJUGI NGUGI |

What you need to know:

  • Suspect on Sh1,000 bail was to appear in court on Monday but did not show up.
  • Suspect knocked down and killed a college student but was released the same day from Kayole Police Station.

Kayole Police Station is in the spotlight over the release of a suspect who hit and killed a first-year college student, Ms Agnes Nyambura.

The suspect was a boda boda rider who was testing his skills on a neighbour’s car. He hit Ms Nyambura and her aunt, Ms Syphill Muthoni, at 7.30pm on Friday night as they were walking to their home in Kayole’s Junction area.

The engineering student at the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology died on the spot while her aunt's legs were broken.

“We were coming back to the house from the shops. We saw the car parked outside. It’s headlights were on but it was stationary. Then suddenly it moved very fast and hit us,” Ms Muthoni said.

As they lay on the ground, she said, the driver reversed and hit Nyambura as she tried to get up.

“I survived because I lay on the ground. My legs were hurting. The car hit a wall and stopped and I found myself under it.”

RELEASED ON BAIL

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Ms Nyambura’s peers stormed the police station with relatives and Junction residents seeking to know why the culprit was released.

Kayole police chief Ali Nuno said the suspect, Mr Stephen Mathenge, was released on a Sh1,000 cash bail the same day.

“We are still investigating the circumstances under which he was released from custody,” he said.

The officer in charge of the station, Mr Robert Wabeire, was summoned to the county police headquarters for questioning.

Mr Nuno said he had directed officer Wabeire to produce the suspect in court immediately. The suspect was to appear in court on Monday, August 17, but did not, he said, adding that the station had obtained a warrant of arrest against the suspect.

The car, registration number KAY 193G, was impounded and taken to the Kayole Police Station. The case is being handled by the Divisional Criminal Investigations Office.

Ms Nyambura’s mother, Lucy Njoki, said her second-born daughter had been on a short break from college.