Cops pursue three friends over Tuju’s love rival’s death

By CYRUS OMBATI

Three friends of a man thought to have been the lover of Raphael Tuju's wife have been released after a fresh round of questioning by the police. Tony Ogunda, who was cited in a divorce court case as the adulterous lover of Tuju’s wife Ruth Akinyi, died mysteriously in June and police investigations appeared to have slowed.

But new evidence from a report indicating that Ogunda, an ex-GSU man, may have died from injuries sustained during a fight with his friends a week before his death prompted Kilimani Police to question the three.  

 They had previously been among those wo recorded police statements, including Tuju, Ruth and a woman thought to have been Ogunda’s girlfriend.  

But the victims complained police were being used to divert attention of the probe saying the cause of the death of Ogunda was not what the officers are citing.

“The pathologist gave us what caused the death of Ogunda and now police want to claim he had a wound in the stomach. Let them arrest the right suspect and stop harassing us,” said one of those questioned, who requested not to be named. He said they had previously told the police what they knew and had affirmed the same during the recent questioning.

The post-mortem report released days after his death had indicated that Ogunda died from stomach injuries caused by a blunt force. Whether he had fallen or had been hit by a blunt object was a key question.

“He had trauma to his head which is consistent with a blunt force. The deceased had internal bleeding to the brain,” said government pathologist Dr Peter Ndegwa.

A further report from the Government Chemists showed Ogunda did not have alcohol traces in his body contrary to reports he had been drinking before he was found dead.

According to Kilimani police boss Bernard Muli, a syringe and a bottle of diabetes medicine were also found next to Ogunda’s body.

The ex-GSU man died in the Upperhill servants quarters, in a compound that houses offices of a foundation linked to the former minister, where his body was found. Cosmas Okoth, a relative of the Tujus who lived in the house, was arrested and later released. 

 It is unclear why the police have now turned to the theory of the stomach injuries.

Kilimani CID boss George Ojuka said the three friends were all sharing a house at Umoja.

Ogunda was buried at his parents home in Kaksingiri Manyala village home in Homa Bay.