Police detain car used to take Mike Okombe to hospital

Kenya's Michael Okombe shields the ball against David Gonzalez and Gregory Marquez of Spain during their Rugby test match at KRFU ground in Nairobi on Saturday 18/07/15.Kenya won 36-27.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

A rugby player was stabbed to death in a scuffle involving his girlfriend in Nakuru on Saturday evening.

Mike Okombe’s body had a wound on the left side of the chest and another on the left cheek.

At the time of the attack, Okombe had attended a birthday party organised by his girlfriend's sister for her eight-year-old child.

Sources who spoke to The Standard on condition of anonymity said the party was attended by at least seven people who all witnessed the stabbing at Kiamunyi.

Police officers who visited the crime scene had difficulty investigating the killing as it emerged that blood stains in the house were cleaned, only leaving traces outside the house.

“The stains in the house were cleared as there were children in the house whom we feared would be traumatised,” said the source.

Those in the party allegedly never took the matter seriously, hence the delay in taking him to hospital. It is believed that all were drunk.

After he was stabbed Okombe is said to have left the house staggering before collapsing outside. One of the children however spotted him and raised alarm.

He was put in a car said to belong to his partner's sister and rushed to Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The car is being detained at Nakuru Central Police station and is alleged to have been involved in an accident while ferrying Okombe to hospital.

It is said to have hit two motorcycle operators in a shed along the road leaving them seriously injured. The car, when seen by The Standard, had a flat left front tyre and damaged headlights.

Nakuru police boss Joshua Omukata said he was not aware of the accident.

The Kenya rugby fraternity gathered at Valley Hospital mortuary to pay their last respects to the fallen player.

Okombe played for Nakuru Top Fry Rugby Club. He played for Kenya Fifteens as an open side flanker.

The murder weapon was missing and his assailant was still at large by the time we went to press.