Nakuru family denies claims murdered son was a robber

Questions have been over the death of a 26-year-old man in Kiundu area in Nakuru East.

Yesterday, the police and family gave conflicting details on the Saturday night incident that left Mr John Kihoro dead.

He is said to have been in an altercation with a matatu tout over Sh100 fare.

His family says Mr Kihoro was murdered minutes after he and his four friends were forced out of a matatu.

But the police say he was killed by a mob that caught him and his friends trying to rob the matatu driver and conductor. 

Mr Kihoro’s friend, Antony Maina, said they left a local entertainment joint minutes before midnight for the  Nairobi-Nakuru highway to board a matatu home. 

“The conductor insisted that we pay first. We complied. Inside the matatu there was an altercation between my friends who were drunk and the conductor,” Mr Maina said. 

He explained that the matatu driver stopped the vehicle after Mr Kihoro picked up a fight with the conductor. After the altercation, the matatu crew left. Mr David Gachanja, Mr Kihoro’s cousin, said they opted to take a boda boda instead. One rider came but the passengers appeared armed.

They all ran in different directions and didn’t realise Mr Kihoro may have been beaten to death. Nakuru East sub-County Police Commander Elena Kabukuru said Mr Kihoro was killed by a mob that came to the rescue of the operators, a claim the family disputes. [Kennedy Gachuhi]