A youthful woman — who was last Friday caught on surveillance cameras arriving at Kevin Omwenga’s Kilimani house at 10:35pm — has told police that she did not know the deceased well, and that she and Omwenga were in the process of getting to know one another.
The woman, who has been identified as a Tanzanian national, lives in Ngara, Nairobi, investigations have established.
Last Friday (August 21), Omwenga was caught on CCTV leaving his residence — House No. 703 on the 7th floor of Galana Suites on Galana Road, Kilimani — at 9:39pm. At 10:35pm, he returned in the company of the woman, who was in a yellow dress and black pair of sandals.
While getting out of the lift, Omwenga and the woman could be seen holding hands as they engaged in a conversation while laughing heartily.
The lady told DCI detectives — in her statement — that the main suspect in Omwenga’s killing, Robert Bodo Ouko, joined them in Omwenga’s house a few minutes after their arrival.
CCTV recordings show that Ouko arrived at Omwenga’s house at 10:39pm, which was four minutes after Omwenga and his female friend’s arrival.
According to Omwenga’s female friend, all of them (Omwenga, Ouko, Omwenga’s brother and a few male friends) were in the living room, when Ouko asked to speak privately with Omwenga in the deceased’s bedroom.
“A few minutes later, we heard a loud sound akin to that of a gunshot emanating from Omwenga’s bedroom,” said the lady in her report.
Omwenga’s brother, Wycliffe Omwenga, said — in his statement to police — that after the gunshot sound rent the air, he thought a gas cylinder in the kitchen had exploded.
“After a few seconds, we saw Ouko coming out of my brother’s bedroom while frantic,” said Wycliffe.
The shooting is believed to have taken place between 10:40pm and 11:20pm.
According to Ouko, who has since been arrested and arraigned, Omwenga accidentally shot himself as he (Ouko) and Omwenga fought over a gun, which Ouko had allegedly given Omwenga for show-off purposes. Ouko said, in his statement filed at Kilimani Police Station, that Omwenga had borrowed him the firearm so that he could floss it to his newly found love interest — the Tanzanian woman he was with that night.
Ouko’s statement, however, did not explain the preceding argument before the incident.
The fired bullet, ripped through Omwenga’s chest and hit a wall on the bedroom.
On Monday, August 24, the Chief Government Pathologist, Dr. Johansen Oduor, said that autopsy conducted on Omwenga’s body indicated that he (Omwenga) was shot at close range.
“He was shot once in the left chest area. The bullet tore through the heart then there was a collapse of the left lung and a lot of bleeding in the left side of the chest,” said Oduor.
On whether the shooting was premeditated or accidental as alleged by Ouko in his statement to the police, Dr. Oduor said he couldn’t make a conclusive determination.
“It is hard to answer [whether the incident was accidental or deliberate] because that is based on the circumstance [that led to the shooting]. When I look at the bullet, it was a close shot, which entered his body at an elevated angle,” said Dr. Oduor.
“The bullet exited in his back area after going through his vital organs. It appears the victim died instantly. With an injury to his heart, he had little chance of survival,” added the chief State pathologist.
CCTV recordings show that Ouko and a few of his friends carried Omwenga’s body from his house to a waiting car at the basement of Galana Suites Apartments at 11:35pm. The vehicle, thereafter, left for Nairobi Women’s Hospital, where Omwenga was pronounced dead on arrival.
So far, police have recorded statements from the key suspect, Ouko, his friend-cum-boss, Chris Obure, who is alleged to be the owner of the gun that was used in the fatal shooting of Omwenga, the lady who was with Omwenga on Friday night, the deceased’s brother, Wycliffe Omwenga, among others.
DCI detectives are now looking for a man of Arab descent, who was caught on CCTV cameras leaving Omwenga’s house at 9:36pm before returning at 9:39pm.
The man, who has since been identified as Jamal, is said to be a close friend of Omwenga’s neighbour. Omwenga and Jamal had, however, of late struck a friendship, and that the two were planning to travel to Dubai at the end of this week.
Detectives would want to establish the key purpose of the duo’s planned trip to Dubai.
On Tuesday, August 25, Robert Bodo Ouko and Chris Obure, the key suspects in the killing of Omwenga, were arraigned before Kibera Law Courts’ Magistrate, Derrick Kuto, who allowed police to detain the two for 12 days as investigations into the death of Omwenga continue.
Investigating Officer, Bashir Boya, told Magistrate Kuto that he was yet to record statements from key witnesses as well as take Ouko and Obure’s finger prints, photo profile and DNA samples for analysis by the Government Chemist.
The magistrate also ordered that Ouko and Obure be taken to Mathari Mental Hospital so that they can undergo psychiatric tests before being arraigned.
The two are expected back in court on September 4, 2020.
It remains unclear what led to the fatal shooting of Omwenga, though reports suggest that Ouko and the deceased quarreled over how they would share proceeds of a fake gold scam amounting to millions of shillings.
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