Sonko, shebesh involved in gun drama at city nightclub

Nairobi, Kenya: Police are investigating Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko and Woman Representative Rachael Shebesh over an incident at a Nairobi nightclub on Saturday night.

According to Sonko, Sh8.5 million Range Rover car is at the heart of the matter that ended with gunshots being fired.

But other reports claimed Shebesh confronted Sonko, asking him why he was trailing her.

Ojuka said according to witness accounts, Sonko had arrived at the club at about 7pm in a group of about 30 people and Shebesh was also there with her supporters.

Witnesses said tension mounted between the two when they encountered each other in the Caribea Club at Wood Avenue, Nairobi

Reports say patrons were scared out of their wits after the gunshots rocked the club’s peaceful atmosphere.

Police have now summoned the two legislators and their bodyguards for grilling today over the incident.

Kilimani Head of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) George Ojuka, who visited nightclub after the incident, said no one was hurt.

It is unclear what triggered the firing of the gun, reportedly by one of Shebesh’s bodyguards, at the club where the two were accompanied by their supporters.

The rival camps sat in separate places but Shebesh allegedly taunted Sonko’s group.

“We are informed she was infuriated and asked why Sonko was following her wherever she went. This degenerated into a bitter exchange before one of the armed people suddenly shot in the air which we think was unwarranted,” said Ojuka.

Fleeing patrons

Shebesh and her team left the club in a huff as other patrons, including Sonko, took cover. Business was disrupted as patrons fled.

Shebesh’s bodyguard reportedly shot in the air two times, allegedly to scare away a hostile mob that allegedly wanted to attack the city woman representative.

But Sonko had a different version of events that he recounted to The Standard yesterday.

The flamboyant senator said he arrived at the club and found Shebesh with a member of the County Assembly of Nairobi and about 10 people.

“I went into a private cubicle with a lawyer as my people sat at a different corner enjoying their food and drinks. When I went for a short call, one or two of the men who were with her followed me asking why I had taken away a four-wheel-drive car I had bought her,” Sonko claimed.

He alleged that he had bought Shebesh the Range Rover for Sh8.5 million, but had only paid Sh4.5 million.

The sellers of the car allegedly took it back after Sonko failed to pay the balance.

“But you know my friendship with Shebesh ended a long time ago and I cannot pay the rest of the money. It was upon her to pay the money,” Sonko said.

Shebesh could not be reached yesterday for a comment regarding the drama. She did not respond to our calls or text messages, and neither did her lawyer, Mr Cecil Miller.

Sonko said after the confrontation in the toilet, he drove to Kilimani Police Station where he reported “the threat to his life”.

“I reported the matter without even my bodyguards and supporters knowing and came back to the club. I then made a post on my Facebook account on the issue, which I think infuriated her,” said Sonko.

Sonko said he told the club management to ensure his safety because of the threats as he went on with his meeting.

In the Facebook post he wrote: “I’m just from the funeral of my late family driver who’s been laid to rest at his family home a few hours ago. After delivering my speech I told the people who escorted me to the funeral to meet me at my usual joint Azalea (Caribea), Wood Avenue, for a thanksgiving dinner, but I’m shocked to find a politician well known to me with his/her 30 people who keep on shouting and threatening me, but all the same I’m playing it cool.”

He said it was after the posting that more of his supporters arrived in buses. After a short while, he claimed, Shebesh’s group confronted his team and it was then that two shots were fired.

Police arrived there minutes later and collected the spent cartridges.

Sonko and Shebesh have had love-hate relations in city politics with their controversial antics.

Sonko urged police to investigate the matter and take action on those behind it.

Ojuka said police are looking for Shebesh’s bodyguard who is not a police officer but is licensed to carry a gun to disarm him and charge him in court.

“He has gone underground but we are looking for him. He should surrender the weapon before we take further action on him including charging him before a court of law for causing disturbance and misusing the weapon,” he said.

Ojuka said he had summoned them and their supporters to record statements regarding the gun drama.