Police ignored threats against land firm bosses, say families
What you need to know:
- Mr Kibe’s son, Lawrence, questioned why police had not arrested anyone in connection with the murders, despite the area being surrounded by four police stations and two patrol bases.
- Mr Boinnet asked all the directors of the farm to present themselves at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations offices in Nairobi this morning for questioning.
The families of slain directors of a land buying company in Murang’a County have accused police of ignoring threats they received before they were shot dead on Wednesday morning.
Mrs Joyce Wanjiku Kibe, the widow of Mr Josephat Wanyoike Kibe, who was shot alongside Mr Zechariah Chege Mwangi, said her husband had told her that he had been threatened by a government official.
She said the director of the troubled Kihiu Mwiri farm was to meet with the same official on the day he was killed.
“He left the house around 7am and said that they had a meeting in Nairobi to finalise talks before title deeds could be issued,” said Mrs Kibe.
She said about 45 minutes after her husband left the house, someone called her using an unfamiliar number and informed her that her husband had been killed.
“After the call, the number went off air and it has remained unreachable,” she said.
She said the caller did not give her details of the killing. “Later, my step-son called me and gave me the news and I went to the scene. I found my husband and his friend on the ground. They had both been shot in the head,” she said.
A motorcycle rider, who is said to have witnessed the shooting, was reportedly arrested when he went to report the incident at Gituamba Police Station.
He had claimed that the two directors were shot by two people who were riding on a motorcycle towards Kabati Trading Centre.
Mr Kibe’s son, Lawrence, questioned why police had not arrested anyone in connection with the murders, despite the area being surrounded by four police stations and two patrol bases.
“The Ngati, Kabati, Gituamba and Makuyu police stations are not far from here. Kihiu Mwiri itself has a patrol base, but the murderers have not been traced,” he said.
VISITED AREA
On Thursday, Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet, Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro and Acting Lands CS Fred Matiang’i visited the area alongside Murang’a Senator Kembi Gitura and Governor Mwangi wa Iria.
Mr Boinnet asked all the directors of the farm to present themselves at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations offices in Nairobi this morning for questioning.
“We want to understand the real issues that are leading to these murders,” he said.
