Jacob Juma's family wants FBI, Scotland Yard to take over investigations

Miriam Juma, the wife of the late businessman Jacob Juma flanked by CORD Leader Raila Odinga addresses a press conference at the family home in Karen, Nairobi. PHOTO: WILLIS AWANDU/STANDARD

NAIROBI: Family of slain businessman Jacob Juma now wants the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Scotland Yard to take over investigations into his murder.

The family has also stated that they will be hiring a private investigator to follow up the same as so far they are not satisfied with the way Kenyan police are handling the case.

The family further claimed that police's investigations are only revealing more questions than answers as to who, why and what led to the cold blood death of Juma.

They asked the police to reveal who found Juma's bullet riddled body, at what time and when was it taken to the City Mortuary.

More so, they have asked Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Nkaissery and Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet to provide them with the CCTV footage of Juma's car tracked to Ngong Road on the Thursday night of May 5 when he was murdered.

"We also ask for mobile data detailing the various mobile operator locator masts Juma travelled through on that night and morning of May 6," said his widow Miriam Wairimu.

On Friday at Juma's lavish home in Karen Wairimu had called for a press conference accompanied with Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) Principal Raila Odinga to express her dissatisfaction on her husband's murder investigations.

"Why was the family not notified by the police on his death?" posed the widow Mariam Wairimu at the family's home in Karen.

Wairimu argued that Juma was a well-known person whom his family and residence was well known to the local Karen police station: "...more so, he had all his identification documents with him which would have made it easier to inform the family."

Wairimu said she only learnt of the death of her husband the following day (May 6) at 7am from fellow parents upon dropping her children to school.

She had earlier tried to reach him the night before when she saw he was running late but the phone went unanswered.

It is on that fateful night the vocal businessman allied to Raila Odinga was shot severally on Lenana road on way to his Karen home from Westlands at around 9:30pm according to police report.

His body had been sprayed with bullets at close range: two in his chest and five in neck according to a later post-mortem report.

His car had similar damage with ten bullet holes, a shuttered back right window, the engine still running with door flung open.

He had with him his identity card and two mobile phones (meaning it was easy to identify him by the police and inform the family).

The Sh6, 500 and five euros in cash found with him also indicate the killers were not robbers.

"It seems the main motive of his killing was pure murder," Nairobi Police boss Japheth Koome had indicated.

However, the disturbing question by the family is why did the police not immediately secure the alleged scene where Juma's body and care were found? Instead it was towed to the Karen police station.

"How many hours after towing Juma's car did the police secure it for evidence? Which company and individuals towed the car and at what time?" she asked.

"We as a family fully support the calls for engagement of foreign help (FBI or Scotland Yard) to assist in the investigations of Juma's assassination. We are also looking to engage the services of a private investigator," said Wairimu.