Turbo policeman twice hinted at his looming death

A portrait of Joseph Kiptuiya, Turbo MP Elisha Busienei's driver, who died after a freak accident while shelling maize at his home in Leseru, Uasin Gishu County. 17-10-2016. PHOTOS BY: KEVIN TUNOI

A police driver who died in an accident spoke of his death moments before it occurred.

Constable Joseph Kiptuiya died after a maize shelling machine he was operating caught his coat, pulling and crushing half of his body.

Mr Kiptuiya had asked for some time off from his boss, Turbo Member of Parliament Elisha Busienei to travel to his home in Leseru village, Turbo constituency, where he planned to shell his maize harvest.

Some 11 bags later, the shelling ended tragically.

Two loud bangs and a shelling machine grinding to a halt attracted the attention of workers, who rushed in to find the lifeless body of Kiptuiya half-crushed by the machine’s propeller shaft, his gun still strapped to his waist.

His son, Aaron Kipkurui, says his father seemed to have had a premonition of his death.

“We were busy filling the sacks with maize ahead of the shelling when he came to the store and said: ‘I want the best for you because even if I die right now, I will not carry the bags with me, they will be for the family’. Little did I know that those would be his last words,” said Kipkurui.

A similar conversation was reported by a man Kiptuiya had hired to repair a section of his house when they met in one of the local restaurants.

“He bought me lunch and as we ate, he kept on telling me that it is good to have a plan for the future. He even went ahead and related it to death, saying most people have a lot of money but fail to utilise it,” said Mr Julius Rotich.

Coincidentally, the mason was present when Kiptuiya spoke about death with his son.

His wife, Selly Kiptuiya, described her husband of 30 years as caring and loving.