Boda Boda rider killed outside Governor Kingi’s residence

Police in Kilifi have arrested a man who is believed to be behind the killing of a boda boda rider on Monday night. The rider was killed a few metres from Kilifi County Governor’s official residence along the Kilifi old ferry road and his motorbike stolen.

Gift Shoka Kaingu is suspected to have been murdered by a pillion passenger who boarded his motorcycle at Kibaoni stage.

According to his colleagues, Kaingu left with the passenger at around 11pm and did not return.

His body was later discovered on Tuesday morning by fishermen returning from fishing at around 6am.

Confirming the incident Kilifi OCPD Njoroge Ngigi said police have launched investigations and the suspect in tgheir custody will assist them.

“The rider had several cuts from a sharp object. We currently have very scanty information but we are liaising with the company which installed a tracking device on the motorcycle and we hope to make arrests soon,” said Njoroge.

Kilifi Bodaboda chairman Nixon Kingi said he will convene an urgent meeting with the Boda boda operators to discuss on the rampant incidences where many are being killed at night by those posing as customers.

“We are always telling them not to work at night but most of the boda boda have always negated and they claim that there is good business with good money at night,” said Kingi.

Khamis Juma, a village elder said security in the area has deteriorated and called on the county government to extend security lights from the governor’s residence up to the old ferry landing site.

“I was notified by fishermen that there is a body lying by the roadside and I came to confirm and later notified the area chief. We have witnessed several incidences of insecurity in this area because it is very dark during the night and street lights will help address this matter,” said Juma.

Rukia Juma, a fish monger who buys fish at the Old ferry, said things became bad when the street lights installed up to the governor’s residents became faulty.

She said in a span of two weeks there have been three robbery attempts that were foiled by dogs guarding the lavish apartments in the area.

“Our lives are in danger and if it were not for the dogs then people would have lost property here. The streets lights to the governor’s resident should be repaired and extended up to old ferry. We have hotels and high end apartments in this area but there are no police patrols. The area is isolated and our fishermen use this route every night,” she said.

Constance Maitha, a resident called on security officers to strategize on better ways to deal with criminals attacking bodaboda riders.

“We have had several meeting with boda boda riders and security officers about their security but there is no follow up. Their lives also matter and we expect to see measures taken to control their movement especially during the night,” said Maitha