New team starts Jacob Juma’s death probe

A new team has taken over investigations into the killing of businessman Jacob Juma in Nairobi.

The team from the Homicide Unit took over a file on the incident that had been opened at Karen Police Station.

Unit Head Martin Nyaguto oversaw a postmortem exercise at the Lee Funeral Home on Saturday, which showed that Juma was shot twice in the chest at close range and his right arm was badly damaged. The businessman died from profuse bleeding.

The team visited the scene, where Juma was found dead in his Mercedes Benz, as part of efforts to recover spent cartridges. If they had found them, the cartridges would have helped police to identify the weapon they were fired from and if it had been used in other crimes. They only found smashed window panes at the scene.

This elicited a theory that Juma may have been killed elsewhere and his body along with the damaged car dumped at the scene.

But the officers handling the case said a team of officers who were patrolling the nearby forest heard gunshots coming from where the car was found, in an indication that Juma was shot there.

Those who saw the body first said Juma seemed to have struggled before he died. The car had at least five bullet holes in the vicinity of the driver's seat. And because his car was bulletproof, the bullets ricocheted. This forced the killers to use a blunt object, probably a hammer, to break the window, before they shot at him.

Some have questioned why no motorist witnessed the incident, given that the Ngong Road stretch is usually busy, especially at the time the incident happened. Police said the incident happened on Thursday at about 9.30pm.

Juma's family, his friends and several politicians have demanded justice. Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro asked for patience as his team moved in to investigate.

"It seems to be a pure murder and we are exploring all angles and theories to ensure the killers are found," he said, without elaborating.

Meanwhile, CORD leader Raila Odinga wants a foreign investigation team be invited to investigate the killing.

"We are surprised that up to today, there has been no official comment from the Government. Police have said nothing, the President and his deputy have been equally silent. The State is a suspect. Police cannot be trusted to to do a thorough investigation," he said. He wants Scotland Yard or the FBI be called in.