Blame game over electoral official’s murder
The mystery surrounding the murder of Embakasi East Returning Officer Daniel Musyoka has taken a new twist after United Democratic Alliance candidate Francis Mureithi blamed one of his rivals.
Mureithi alleged that on the day Musyoka disappeared, one of the candidates had entered the East Africa School of Aviation — the main constituency tallying centre — in the company of suspicious individuals who were armed.
Once inside, Mureithi alleges that the candidate exerted pressure on Musyoka to doctor the results, a demand Musyoka allegedly rejected.
Mureithi said that on the fateful day, Musyoka had arrived at the tallying centre at around 9:30am and allegedly noticed something unusual and decided to make a call.
“That was the last time he was seen leaving the tallying centre,” Mureithi said. “What did Musyoka see that made him excuse himself to make the phone call?” he asked.
Mureithi also criticised the Embakasi East police boss and the officer commanding the police division, accusing them of sleeping on their job.
“Musyoka did not have the security that he was entitled to. If he had a bodyguard, he would have been with him all the time and possibly saved his life,” he said and challenged the two police bosses to reveal the names of bodyguards assigned to Musyoka.
He said witnesses were ready to testify in the matter but feared for their lives.
“I demand that the Witness Protection Programme be applied in this case given that there are numerous potential witnesses willing to come forward but are scared,” he said.
One of the politicians mentioned adversely accused Mureithi of defamation.
“I am at the DCI headquarters reporting him and I will proceed to court to sue him for defamation. If he has information let him give to the DCI as fast as possible,” he said.
Musyoka who went missing on August 11 while on official duty at Embakasi was on Monday night found dead in Loitoktok, Kajiado County.
Police said Musyoka, 53, could have been murdered elsewhere before his body was dumped in Loitoktok, over 70km away from where he was last seen.
The macabre murder bears a strong resemblance to that of former commission’s ICT manager Chris Msando, five years ago.
Loitoktok Sub-County Police Commandant Kipruto Ruto said the body was identified by Musyoka’s sisters, Ann Mboya and Mary Mwikali, at the Loitoktok Level 4 Hospital Mortuary on Monday night.
The body, which had visible signs of struggle, was spotted by herders at Kilombero River in Amboseli National Park.
Police officers visited the scene and later moved the man’s body to Loitokitok sub-county hospital mortuary awaiting identification and post-mortem.
“This is a matter of national interest and we are waiting for further communications from our seniors in Nairobi to know if the matter will be handled at this level or in Nairobi,”said Kipruto.
Detectives from the Embakasi Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) visited both the scene for forensic analysis and the mortuary as they joined their colleagues in the investigations.
Chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor is expected to conduct an autopsy today.
Police are also seeking to establish why his phone went off an hour after his disappearance.
