For 10 years, man was unable to quit abusive union, and got killed

The Late Dickson Samba who died at his Umoja home in Nairobi under unclear circumstances. [David Njaaga, Standard]

A smashed 24-inch television screen and a broken window pane paint the picture of a troubled relationship that may have led to Dickson Jared Samba's death.

Dickson, 32, died after a fall in a suspected feud with his lover in his rental house near Bee Centre, off Kayole Spine road.

The Thursday night fight is suspected to have involved two men and Dickson’s lover Susan Adhiambo Nyawaga.

Dickson’s body was found hanging by the rails on ground floor after being allegedly pushed over the balcony at fourth floor. Two steel rails had been knocked down. One was twisted from impact.

Job demands

Witnesses reported a confrontation in the one-bedroomed house when Dickson unexpectedly arrived home after being away on official duty for a few days.

According to his brother Jacob Onyango, the two lovers had never known peace in their relationship and attempts by the family to talk Dickson out of it were futile.

“My brother often told us he was being threatened by the woman if he dared to quit,” Mr Onyango told The Standard.

For 10 years, the two lovers moved from one town to another as dictated by Dickson’s job demands. “They have lived together in Kisumu, Busia, Eldoret, Kakamega, Mombasa and other towns where my brother was working as an engineer for Signature Club,” narrated Mr Onyango, adding: “My brother could not leave her. There was no way he could leave. He was eternally trapped.”

The couple's daughter died at an early age under unclear circumstances, according to Dickson's family.

Onyango said his brother was cohabiting with Adhiambo. He said their family was stunned by Dickson's death, as they buried another sibling late last year.

Onyango claimed that Dickson was at one point stabbed and bitten on his hand. 

“The woman used to even disappear for several weeks before resurfacing. She often held parties in the house,” he added.

Neighbours who spoke to The Standard said the woman was always partying in the house.

“At times the noise is deafening, but we are afraid,” said a neighbour. Even after Dickson’s body landed on the rails at the ground floor, the other tenants wanted little to do with the matter. Even the man who called police declined to talk to journalists.

The couple's fights were no secret to the Samba family. Dickson’s father, Benson Samba, says he, too, received insulting texts from Adhiambo, telling him his son was stupid to live with her.

Dickson’s sister, Janet Samba, who lives in the nearby Soweto estate, said she was close to the couple, having intervened in many instances when they differed.

“(The woman) called me at night saying my brother had fallen over the balcony and told me to go check on him,” said Janet.

On arriving, Janet said she found her brother’s lover outside busy on her phone. “I found people staring at my brother who was hanging with blood oozing from his head. I was told not to touch him because it was a police case. I don’t know if he was still alive,” explained Janet.

At Dickson’s house, The Standard found some documents belonging to Susan. In a copy of a CV we saw, she indicated her marital status as single. She stated in the document that she was a member of a professional counseling entity and a diploma graduate from Kenya College of Accountancy.

Dickson Samba's siblings Janet Samba, Hanington Samba and Jacob Onyango at the scene where Dickson met his death in Nairobi. [David Njaaga, Standard]

On her Facebook page, Susan said she had nothing to do with Dickson's death. “Even if you're so cold blooded, how can you kill a man you're expecting his own baby!"

“Rumours... What happened to Dickson Samba is only him and God that know. If he was truly pushed to his death, the truth will always reveal itself. Let God handle this battle,” she added, referring to her lover as Jowi (Buffalo).

Buruburu police boss Geoffrey Mayek said investigation was on. The Samba family is demanding justice.