'He used his first salary to buy me milk': Mother mourns son killed in Thome

CaptionCaroline Nasilia is crying for justice after her 24-year-old son was shot dead at a close range in Thome estate Nairobi county on Wednesday midnight.

A woman is now crying out for justice after the murder of her 24-year-old son in Thome, Nairobi, on Wednesday night.

Caroline Naserian told The Standard that Joel Austin Macharia Maina was shot in the head at close range by a man identified as Peter Lang'at.

Police say that during interrogation, Lang'at told them he was Maina's friend and that he went for his gun, which accidentally discharged one round.

Responders said that after the incident, the alleged shooter fled the scene.

Kasarani Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer Alloyce Mboya said the fatal bullet entered through the left side of Maina's head and exited on the right side.

The body is at the City Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

According to a friend who wished to remain anonymous, Maina used to do liquor deliveries and was delivering to his alleged shooter at the time.

Maina was shot at a parking lot inside Lang'at's vehicle, while seated in the driver's seat.

Lang'at is expected to be arraigned today at the Makadara Law Court, where detectives probing the case will seek more time to investigate the case.

Naserian said all she wants is justice for her son, whom she described as a quiet man.

"He was very calm, and we could serve dinner and forget about him due to his quiet nature," she said.

She added that despite her son being shot at around midnight, she only received the news yesterday morning at about 9.30 am.

"He worked at a liquor store for three weeks, and the last time he visited me, he brought me milk and said it was from his first salary," she said.

"I didn't know that he would use his first salary to buy me anything.''

Attendants at the liquor store, however, denied that Maina did deliveries for them, saying he was not their employee but admitted they knew him.

Other people at the shooting scene said they knew him and that he used to spend time at a boda boda stage and at the liquor store where one of his friends worked.

Mboya said detectives were still questioning Lang'at and other witnesses who may have seen the midnight shooting.

He added that detectives would obtain a court order to retrieve CCTV footage from the liquor store, a chemist, and a petrol station.

Njanja Maina from the Law Society of Kenya said they would assist the family with the legal process.