Slain Thika prison warden was last seen with colleagues

Silhouette of barbed wires and watchtower in prison [Courtesy]

A Thika-based prison warden who was killed under unclear circumstances last month had a meeting with his colleagues before he died.

Muuo Muthengi died three months after filing a complaint with the National Police Service's Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) against a police officer in Thika.

Initial police reports said he had died as a result of mob injustice, but postmortem results showed he died from blunt force trauma or injury to the head that was inconsistent with a mob attack.

Investigations have now revealed that Muthengi was last seen alive at a bar near the Thika Police Station in the company of colleagues from Thika Prison and Maranjau Prison.

The two officers have told the police that they met Muthengi at Makongeni area at around 2pm on October 11 and then proceeded to the bar near the police station where they stayed until 5pm when they parted ways.

At the Thika Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices, investigators are studying the deceased's call data for clues into his murder.

The police are, however, yet to record a statement from the Thika-based detective whom Muthengi had complained about.

On June 19, Muthengi had filed a complaint at the IAU offices in Upper Hill, claiming that the policewoman had been harassing him, even after a rape complaint against him, which had been filed with the police and in court, was withdrawn.

In his statement at the IAU, Muthengi claimed that the officer had been threatening to revive the rape case against him. He additionally said he had paid out Sh40,000 over the case, but the Thika-based officer had continued to demand more money, threatening to charge him afresh.

Muthengi asked the IAU to investigate the policewoman.

Aviki Muthengi, a sister to the deceased, yesterday told The Standard that the family was still hopeful detectives would find the killers of her brother.

They have lodged a complaint with the IAU and Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa), which are conducting a joint investigation.