Three Kenyan MP murder suspects are ex-convicts

Former Kabete MP George Muchai who, alongside his three aides, were killed in cold blood at Nairobi Central Business District.

Kenya: Three of the suspects being held over the death of former Kabete MP George Muchai and his three aides are former convicts.

Profiles from police and prisons show Steven Astiva Lipopo alias Chokore, Raphael Kimani Gachie alias Kim Butcher and Eric Isabwa Munyeria alias Chairman were sentenced to four years in jail in October 2010 over a robbery incident in Kabete, Kiambu County.

They were convicted by the then Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Rose Nzioka after they were found guilty of robbing three women. They left jail last year after serving their sentences and recruited their accomplice Mustafa Kimani Anyonyi alias Musto, police say.

The four alongside Margaret Njeri Wachiuri and Jane Wanjiru Kamau alias Shiro are expected to be charged with, among others, robbery with violence over the fatal attack on the MP.

"We have their profiles, which are interesting and good for our case. They are former convicts," said CID boss Ndegwa Muhoro.

The men have also been linked to a robbery in which an Administration Police (AP) officer was robbed of his mobile phone and a pair of handcuffs in Ndeiya on January 27, 2015. They were armed with a G3 rifle.

Night-long robbery

Ironically, it is the same officer who recovered the car that they reportedly used in the attack on Muchai on February 7. The policeman, however, did not know that the car had been used in the incident earlier on.

The four men have told police that they opened fire on Muchai's car after they saw one of his bodyguards reach out for his gun. They have claimed that they were on a night-long robbery mission and only took interest in the MP's car after they saw it parked by the roadside near Nyayo House.

That night, the suspects say they only made Sh6,000, most of which they forced two women they had carjacked to withdraw from an automated teller machine in Kikuyu town.

The suspects told police they were heading to Lang'ata Road when they spotted the (Muchai's) car parked on Kenyatta Avenue.

Muchai, police constables Samuel Lekakeny Montata and Samuel Kimathi Kairingia and driver Stephen Ituu Wambugu were killed by a lone gunman at the Uhuru Highway-Kenyatta Avenue roundabout that Saturday at about 2.50am.

They were also robbed of a pistol loaded with 15 bullets. The gang has reportedly denied that they robbed them of a briefcase as claimed by witnesses.

The six suspects have appeared before Principal Magistrate Benson Nzakyo, who allowed police to detain them for three weeks.