How police killed MP’s bodyguard, his two relatives at a Nairobi club

Two police officers who killed their colleague and his two relatives after mistaking them to be robbers have been found guilty of murder.

Lady Justice Martha Mutuku ruled on Thursday that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Benjamin Kahindi and Stanley Okoti murdered Joseph Obongo, Geoffrey Nyabuto and Amos Makori on October 7, 2014 at M-Club in Kangemi in Nairobi county.

“I find sufficient evidence to prove the two accused persons acted outside the law in performing their duties and shot to death the three deceased persons with malice aforethought. I find them guilty as charged and convict them accordingly,” ruled Mutuku.

At the time of his death, Obongo was an administration police officer attached to Bomachoge Borabu MP Joel Onyancha.

The prosecution’s case was that on the fateful day, Obongo picked his two relatives (Nyabuto and Makori) in the evening after work and went to while away at M-Club in Kangemi while in the company of two other men.

While at the club, the men ordered drinks but after sometime Obongo left them and went behind the club where he sat alone.

The club’s security guard went to find his identity and find out why he was sitting outside alone while other patrons were in the club.

Obongo did not identify himself but showed the watchman a pistol he was carrying which was issued to him to guard the MP.

Witnesses told the court that a confrontation occurred between the watchman and Obongo before his two relatives and the two friends they were with joined in and together started assaulting the security guard.

The club’s security guards managed to overpower the men and pushed Obongo inside the kitchen and locked him up. The club’s supervisor then called police to report about the incident, claiming that there was robbery inside the club.

It happened that Kahindi and Okoti were the police officers on patrol in Kangemi that night and were sent to check what was happening at M-Club.

On arrival at the club, the watchman opened the kitchen door for Obongo to come out. Kahindi and Okoti ordered them to surrender and lie down.

Nyabuto and Makori obeyed the order and went down while Obongo being a police officer remained standing while raising his gun which he surrendered to the two officers.

“From that moment, shots rang out and the three customers were all shot dead. It was not therefore true that the tow accused were acting in self defence after the deceased opened fire at them. They were not acting in self defence but deliberately shot at the men even after they surrendered,” said Mutuku.

The judge said that going by the evidence of witnesses who were at the scene, the two police officers were not in any danger given that the three deceased persons had already surrendered to their command.

She added that human life is sacred and that it was unlawful for the officers to misuse their firearms to kill innocent people who were just out enjoying themselves after the day’s work. The two officers will be sentenced on November 7.