Family seeks justice after man killed in bar by fellow reveller

Miriam Ochieng (right), wife to the deceased, and a relative, during an interview at her home in Njiru, Nairobi. [Gloria Aradi, Standard]

When Kelvin Ochieng left home on the morning of Sunday August 11, he assured his wife Miriam Ochieng he would return in time for lunch.

“He told me to prepare lunch because he would be back, but I waited for him and he never showed up,” Miriam narrates, reminiscing the events leading to Ochieng’s death.

Not alarmed that her husband could be in any danger, she continued to perform her normal duties on the material day.

But by the time the gate to the building that houses their single room house in Nairobi's Chokaa estate was closed, Ochieng was not yet back.

But Miriam was not perturbed given that her husband sometimes stayed out late.

“Sometimes he would come home after the gate had been locked and he would jump over the fence. That night, I waited but he never showed up,” Miriam says.

It was a relative who broke the news of Ochieng’s shooting to her.

The relative explained how Ochieng was shot by a fellow reveller at a bar near their home where he was playing pool.

“He was playing pool downstairs and there was a man drinking upstairs. The man came down and pointed at all those playing pool. He shot at my brother and killed him,” says Brighton Ochieng.

According to Brighton, the bar owner drove Ochieng to a nearby pharmacy but there was no one to help.

He was taken to Mama Lucy Hospital where he died.

According to the postmortem report, Ochieng died due to bullet injuries in his chest and abdomen.

The man, who shot him is said to be the bodyguard of a former governor.

The family is dismayed by the fact that instead of police charging him promptly, they insist on conducting further investigations.

They are also concerned that while around ten witnesses were initially identified to testify, now only two are willing to take the stand.

The family also alleges that the suspect is getting preferential treatment at the Ruai Police Station where he is being held, including access to a phone.

When The Standard sought a comment from the investigating officer, he declined to comment on the matter.