One call that netted wanted Githurai terrorist

By Cyrus Ombati

Nairobi, Kenya: Details have emerged how terrorist Felix Nyangaga Otuko and his wife who were shot dead over the weekend were tracked several months after being on the run.

A single call Otuko made to his friend in Oyugis Town arouse police to start tracking him after he went underground for almost two years.

Otuko, a recent Kenyan Muslim convert, is said to be hailing from Migori County.

His body lying at the City Mortuary is yet to be claimed by any relative.

Officials aware of the operations that led to his killing said Otuko called a friend who also happens to be on the watch list of terror suspects, which made police to start following him.

CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro confirmed that the shooting at Githurai Kimbo culminated to a long operation involving several security agencies.

“We had been monitoring him until the day we were sure where he was. He was a dangerous man and even the wife kept threatening police before they were slain,” said Muhoro.

Details of the communication between Otuko and his wanted friend were not immediately available.

But detectives said their communication was meant to plan an attack and facilitate some dangerous movements.

“It is worrying because the new crop of these suspects are Kenyans. We are focusing on them and in particular western Kenya,” said Muhoro.

Apparently, Otuko had been avoiding using a mobile phone until the day he had “a pressing matter” that he passed to his friend.

Dangerous terrorist

His friend is said to have also been tracked and talked to by police before the operation that led to his killing on Saturday night.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo termed Otuko as a dangerous terrorist who was out to cause mayhem in the country.

“He and the woman he was found with hurled four grenades at police officers who wanted to arrest him injuring some of them. He was dangerous in all respects,” said Kimaiyo.

The police chief added Otuko escaped from a house in Kayole Estate in 2011 where Elgiva Bwire Oliacha, also a recent Kenyan Muslim convert was arrested. Bwire was arrested with a cache of weapons days after attacks in the city and he confessed he was an Al-Shabaab trainee.

Otuko and his wife moved to the Githurai house just last month.