Revealed: Murder suspect Irungu’s high profile network

Joseph Irungu in a file picture released by the police. [Courtesy]

Irungu was well known within Jubilee political circles and provided security services for some politicians during campaigns

The man being held by the police over the murder of Monica Nyawira Kimani dabbled as a private security agent for sections of Jubilee party honchos in the run up to last year’s general elections, the Saturday Standard can reveal.

So well-known is Joseph Kuria Irungu within high Jubilee political circles that detectives investigating Nyawira’s murder are struggling to make a breakthrough in the case despite having presented the suspect in court.

Among the stumbling blocks in solving Nyawira’s murder is a visit by State officials to the police station where Irungu was first held demanding his release. Compounding the equation further is reports of arrival in the country of Irungu’s accomplices to manage the situation.

Having trained as a mercenary in Afghanistan, the key suspect in Nyawira’s murder was in the process of firming up his own security company which he claimed specialised in close protection, VIP protection, executive protection and “special projects.”

In an Instagram post, Irungu claimed his company had offices in the UK and the United Arab Emirates.

Simply grinned

“Our highly qualified and exceptionally trained personnel meet our individual client needs. We also recognise that each client and their requirements are different,” Irungu posted.

During last year’s elections, former Taita Taveta Women Representative Joyce Lay procured the services of Irungu as a bodyguard when she combed the expansive county gunning for Senator position.

The politician, who lost her quest to be Taita Taveta Senator, declined to comment when contacted for this story.

However, among the commenters on Irungu’s Instagram page -- which is now locked -- are individuals closely linked to the Jubilee Party and sections of a prominent family.

A caption to one photo in which Irungu was clad in military gear, armed to the teeth, read: “I regret nothing.”

A follower took him up on it: “Not even the countless people you have murdered?”

In a veiled threat, Irungu’s friend who shares a prominent Kenyan family name replied: “My guy, your name is Hermes and you can talk, read your history.”

Irungu simply posted a grinning emoji at this threat and exclaimed in Swahili: “Watapona”.

But it is Irungu’s coziness with Nairobi’s celebrities that sold him out. The man was a household name in at least two of Nairobi’s uptown drinking joints frequented by Kenya’s A-listers.

He is dreaded in Buru Buru where he allegedly ran a safe house and where we were told, he presented himself as top security man. The suspect is said to have been moving around with a cache of arms in the cars he has been seen driving.

So feared is Irungu that sources including a Buru Buru resident who agreed to show us his house got cold feet at the last minute.

Mechanics who have been repairing his cars also went under even though we had been informed that they know where he lives.

It is suspected that the house may have some of the equipment and materials related to Irungu’s line of work.

“I moved away from that house so I cannot remember Irungu’s exact house. Actually, no one here wants to talk about him. It’s too dangerous,” the neighbour said.

In an interesting incident that took place at the garages in Buru Buru Phase 5 last year, Irungu was so enraged by a boda boda rider who had hit a black Toyota Prado he was driving in that he handcuffed the rider and took him to a police station. He impounded the motorcycle and had it locked up at a primary school for almost 10 months. Such is the power the man wielded that it wasn’t surprising when it was reported that he had told the police that investigations on Monica’s death will hit a dead end.

TV Journalist Jackie Maribe went back to Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Kiambu Road yesterday for further interrogation after she presented herself to the police in the company of her parents, on Thursday.

Ms Maribe had told the police that she knew Irungu in January this year, but the Saturday Standard understands that the two may have known each other sometimes last year in the heat of the elections. “We all knew he was part of the Special Forces because he was ever present at campaign events,” a journalist who extensively covered Jubilee during the election confided to us.

Escaping from something

“On the two occasions he was not present in campaign events, he told us that he had gone for a special assignment but he was always around,” said the journalist. The grey Toyota Allion car belonging to Maribe, which has been impounded by the police has also been sighted in Buru Buru several times since last year.

The revelation came as equations began to take shape in Nyawira’s murder mystery in which Irungu is the star. What was Nyawira going to do in Dubai? Was she running away from something or was she going to meet her fiancé as claimed? What was the relationship between Nyawira and Irungu, and what was the nature of Irungu’s connections with Jubilee big shots?

It is not in doubt that Nyawira’s brutal murder was carried out by a professional. Claims that the slitting of the throat of the 28-year-old may have been filmed could not be ascertained with police sources by the time of going to press.

On the other hand, Monica’s family has been flop-flopping on the information they have been giving to the media since last week on Thursday, raising questions on how much they know on why their daughter was murdered.

The Saturday Standard has been unable to find any records showing Monica was a student at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) as claimed. We established that Irungu enrolled for a certificate in Food and Beverages but dropped out in 2012 due to lack of school fees.

Yassir Mohamed, a Sudanese national and the man Monica’s family last week said was her fiancé whom she was supposed to meet in Dubai was also not present at her requiem mass or funeral yesterday.

Monica’s father, Bishop Paul Ngarama had told this paper that Yassir had flown to Nairobi on learning of her murder.

Irungu has spent a considerable amount of time in UAE under resident number 784-1990-0858139-1.

“He is even willing to talk to the press. Monica’s brother will connect you to him,” he promised us about Yassir last Saturday when we first broke the story.

It emerged yesterday that Irungu was well known to Monica’s family and they had dated at some point (read separate story).

Also, the deceased was a high-flyer having acquired wealth within a very short time but this too has not been questioned. By her family’s admission, she had just bought her mother a Subaru Impreza, assisted her brother construct his house and purchase a car and she was supposed to buy her father a Toyota Land cruiser V8 next week.

A two bedroomed house at Lamuria Apartments would go for nothing less than Sh150,000. “Come back in January then we can talk because the houses are currently full,” an agent acting on behalf of the owner told us when we visited posing as house hunters.

“You refused cheap things and cheap life, and even education,” said Monica’s father while eulogising her on Thursday. (see related story on page 13)

Additional reporting by Roselyn Obala and Audrey Korir