Police officer who was to be quizzed in Sh39b fake arms deal found dead

DCI officers at the home of a police officer who was found dead in Imara Daima, Nairobi. [Courtesy]

A police officer who was on duty when former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa and two foreigners visited Deputy President’s office in the Sh39.5 billion fake arms deal was found dead in his house in Imara Daima, Nairobi.

Sergeant Kipyegon Kenei of Administration Police’s Security of Government Buildings (SGB) was missing since Wednesday when he was supposed to accompany his colleagues to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to record a statement regarding the fake arms saga.

His body was found in his house in the estate, long after he had gone missing. Witnesses said he had a bullet wound in the head and his gun was lying next to his body. The body was discovered at about 4pm by locals who called the police.

Witnesses said there was a bullet hole on the roof of the house. Police who arrived at the scene had dismissed the incident as suicide and removed the body to the mortuary. However, they were forced to return it to the scene after learning he was a person of interest in the fake arms saga that has caused political ripples.

DCI boss George Kinoti who was on his way from Mombasa detoured to the scene and summoned officers from the homicide department to take charge. His arrival caught many officers off-guard.

He said it was too early to conclude if the incident was murder or suicide. “Let us wait. It is too early to make a conclusion on what happened.”

It is not clear what lead to his death, but a house girl who has been cleaning his clothes and house told police she was concerned when he failed to wake up and place his clothes outside as has been the case.