Why police killed wrong Shimoli before lunch

 L-R: The late Arnold Okango. Shimoli Junior is said to be on the run

Arnold Okongo, 16, has been dead for one week now, shot by police. His father Thomas Okongo, head coach of Jericho All Stars Football Club in Nairobi’s Eastlands, is still in shock.

“He had just cleared primary school last year and I was still raising money to enable him join secondary school. Although he trained with my team, he was also a part-time tout working for matatus plying the Jericho and Eastleigh routes,” he told The Nairobian.

According to the father, police in plainclothes arrived just as he was boarding a matatu. One of them pulled him down before telling his friends to disappear from the scene. He says police shot the boy multiple times, even after he shouted that he is not the Shimoli they were looking for.

“I don’t know where to start because I’m a poor man. Their mother died while delivering in 2007 leaving me with two boys,” he says, adding that all he wants is justice for his son, He has appealed to well-wishers to help him raise money to transport his son’s remains to Busia. 

He says that Arnold has never been linked to any criminal activities because “I knew him well.” He remains optimistic that cops who killed his son will be identified and brought to book. But police officers who spoke to The Nairobian dismissed his version of the story.

When Arnold was gunned down, Buruburu DCI boss Jeremiah Ikiao issued a statement  that police had killed one of the most dangerous criminals in the country identified as Shimoli Junior, who  had been attacking sportsmen  and  fans at Camp Toyoyo Stadium in Jericho.

But when it became apparent that they had shot the wrong man, undercover cops claimed Arnold was a close friend and accomplice of Leone Messi aka Shimoli Junior who is wanted for several robberies. The information was posted on popular Facebook Page ‘Dandora Crime Free’ where robbers are warned before being executed.

“Arnold Okongo aka Randy, a close friend and crime partner to Leone Messi aka Shimoli Junior. Randy was shot dead last week but his partner managed to escape though I am sure he will dance to the tunes (sic) very soon,” partly reads the May 14 post.

But who is this Shimoli Junior? An undercover police tasked with tracking hard-core robbers in Nairobi has told The Nairobian that the young man aged between 17 and 19 years is a dangerous criminal like his father, Edward Maina Shimoli.

“He is dangerous like his father but he will die soon. We are on his case. He escaped but he will not hide forever,” said the officer.

According to the officer, Shimoli Junior lives with a relative in Jericho estate and is among a group of youth who has been terrorising residents and players who train at Camp Toyoyo. Shimoil’s gang is also said to operate along Outering and Kang’undo roads with dangerous weapons.

His father Edward Maina alias Shimoli was a notorious city gangster. He was killed by police in 2007 on Kangundo Road. Before his death, Shimoli Senior confessed to 14 murders, 88 rapes and countless violent robberies.