Shocking: Bar owner kills man over Sh20 debt in Mlolongo

Residents of Mlolongo Estate woke up in shock after a man was stabbed to death at a local bar over Sh20 debt.

Mr Adan Caleb popularly known by the nickname, Oria, was a frequenter at the local where he used to cool off his thirst.

Caleb was a casual worker and did manual jobs for survival in Mlolongo.

According to his neighbour who identified himself as Mr Jared Mutua, the man, Oria was an alcoholic and never missed a day without drinking.

“He drinks a lot and I think he is an addict” he informed the Standard.

His death came in the most unlikely circumstance considering that he was not only a regular customer at the bar known as Exodus Pub but he was also a friend to the bar owner.

According to a witness, Ms Esther, a former waiter at the bar but who no longer works there following the incident, Oria had entered the bar at 9pm and ordered a cup of KEG valued Sh50.

When he was through with his drink, another comrade came in and bought him more drinks. The drinking went on until 11pm.

By this time, Oria’s friend had cleared his bills and stepped out, leaving him dozing at the bar.

“He became drunk and therefore dozed off,” explained Esther.

Esther informed the Standard that the bar owner, wanted to close the pub and had to wake Oria up. He asked him to pay his Sh50 bill although the other bill had been cleared by his friend who by this time had left.

However, Oria only had Sh30 in his pocket and told the owner to be patient as he would bring the balance the following day.

“This is all the money I have but just wait until tomorrow, I cannot run away with just 20 shillings,” he was overheard responding to the bar owner.

However, this culminated into an angry exchange of words and confrontation leading to the bar owner stabbing Oria to death.

He then sought the services of a woman and with whom they carried him to a nearby flat, Paints and Hardware Supermarket corridor where they dumped his body.

The body was found the following day by the neighbours who were shocked by the incident.

However, unknown to the bar owner, the building, Paint and Hardware Supermarket has CCTV cameras on its corridor and had recorded everything that had transpired on that night.

A spot check by the Standard indeed revealed various CCTV cameras on the corridors.

A police scrutiny revealed that it was the bar owner who was behind the scheme and was arrested.

Oria’s body was taken to the City Mortuary.