Police piece evidence on killing of road contractor in disputed Karen land

Police guard the controversial Karen land after High Court Judge Lucy Nyambura ordered the Langata OCPD to ensure no further development was witnessed on the disputed 134-acre land. [Photo: David Njaaga/Standard]

Police are trying to establish whether the killing of a road contractor in his Ngong home is linked to the controversial Sh8 billion Karen land.

Nicholas Njeru of Kinare Road Construction Company had been awarded a tender to build roads within the contested land. His friends and family are demanding to know whether his killing on Thursday last week is linked to the contentious property.

His company was awarded the contract at undisclosed costs but was evicted by police following a court order that those on the land be removed. Investigations show that his company had also won a tender to excavate gravel from a quarry on a government land in Embulbul near Ngong town and take it to the Karen land.

“The gravel was to help in making roads in the said land. We do not know the cost of all these,” said an officer who sought anonymity for fear of reprisals. Police say it remains a mystery who was behind his contract and if that was the reason for his killing.

Njeru was killed by gangsters on Wednesday night in his house near Olepolos area in Ngong. Police and the family say the gang stole his laptop and Sh3,000.

His wife and children were present during the ordeal, police said.

Njeru also ran a petrol station and was a real estate dealer in Ngong town. Police said they are yet to make an arrest. The gang forced their way into the house as he drove in and held the family hostage for a short while before killing Njeru.

The killing is the latest in a series involving land tussles in the city.

It came as police revealed that a man who was killed two weeks ago was known to a suspect who had been killed in an attempted raid at the Nairobi residence of National Land Commission chairman Muhamad Swazuri.

Land dealer

Stephen Mwangi who was shot 13 times on Limuru Road by unknown people had been at a meeting to prepare the burial of Oliver Karango before he met his death. Karango, who was a small-time land dealer and worked with Mwangi, was killed on October 9 at the residence of Swazuri, police say.

The motive of his attempted entry into Swazuri’s home remains a mystery to police. His accomplices, who were injured after Swazuri’s guard opened fire, are still at large.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations detectives handling the case said Mwangi had left the meeting venue at Grace Villa restaurant, Ngara and was headed to Muthangari when he was shot dead.