Tears as slain cousins in carjacking incident laid to rest

Tears flowed freely in Njukinjuri village on Saturday during the burial of the two cousins killed in a carjacking incident in Nairobi a week ago.

Amos Mutuma 22, Harrison Muriithi 19, and Nelson Kimaita 22, who is in hospital, left their Kileleshwa home to visit their aunt in Mwiki.

After lunch last Sunday, they drove to a shopping centre, where they were carjacked by six armed men, who drove off with them to Mwalimu Farm, off Kangundo Road.

SET ABLAZE

The attackers, who were in two cars, took the three relatives to Mwalimu Falls on the Nairobi River, where they shot them before throwing them into the waterfall.

Mutuma and Muriithi died, but their cousin, Kimaita, who was shot in the chest is recuperating at a hospital in Nairobi.

The killers attempted to set their car on fire, but police officers on patrol put out the blaze. An officer at the Water Treatment AP Post said he heard gunshots and saw two cars speeding off. He then heard someone crying for help.

The attackers killed the young men five hours after abducting them.

Mutuma was a Fourth Year student pursuing a degree in Computer Science at the University of Nairobi and aviation course at Wilson Airport where he was set to do his final exam, to be a licensed pilot, this week.

Murithi completed his Form Four last year and was set to join a medical college next year.

Fellow students and relatives of the deceased wept as their caskets were lowered into the grave.

His classmate Ian Barasa, described Mutuma as hardworking, friendly and very humble student.

"He was very sociable and generous person. We shall forever remember and miss him," said Barasa.

In a letter written from his hospital bed, Kimaita said his two cousins died while praying.

"It was nice spending time with you my brother, I know you are in God's hands. The last prayers we made at the isolated structure gives me joy because I know you are with the Lord,'' his letter to Murithi said in part.

UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT

Speaking at the burial, leaders, colleagues and family representatives, Geoffrey Murungu and Ester Mwirichia demanded thorough investigations into the killings.

"Pray for us so that we get to know those behind this unfortunate incident," said Mwirichia.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Samuel Arachi who also attended the burial, assured the family that the police will do everything possible to get to the root cause of the murder.