Prison cop convicted for killing KU student

A senior prisons officer who knocked a university student with his car then dumped the body away from the scene has been found guilty of causing death.

Sergeant Dismas Gitenge knocked down Mourine Wambui- a third year Kenyatta University student, last year on Mombasa road.

Milimani senior resident magistrate Elector Riani dismissed his claim that he thought he had knocked a cow, citing evidence that he tried to get rid of the body.

“The vehicle appeared to have a shattered windscreen and the accused was caught on CCTV camera retrieving the body and dumping it off,” said Riani.

Mourine, 22, and her boyfriend, Dennis Mburu Baragu, were returning from an overnight party at the Next Gen Mall on Mombasa road on July 15, last year.

Gitenge was driving a Volkswagen registration KCN 285B towards City Centre when he knocked Wambui.

The court heard that after hitting the student, who was expectant, the officer drove three kilometers with her body on the roof of his car and dumped it in South C Estate.

A number plate of the car left lying next to Wambui’s body also helped crack the hit and run case. Gitenge was charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving contrary to the law. 

He was also charged with giving false information to a police officer at Lang'ata police station that he had hit an animal near Ole Sereni Hotel.

Gitenge’s lawyer Danson Omari said he was remorseful and urged the court to grant him a non-custodial sentence. He said Gitenge was a family man and that the victim’s family had all other avenues to pursue compensation.

He will be sentenced on Monday.