Businessman rushed to hospital after claiming he killed Fidel Odinga
Police rushed controversial businessman Paul Kobia to the hospital Thursday morning after he became violent in his house.
Kenya Police spokesperson Zipporah Mboroki said Mr Kobia, a licenced firearm holder and a resident of Runda estate, became violent and was taken to Gigiri police station by his family members.
“He appeared disturbed and our officers escorted him to the hospital for mental examination,” said Ms Mboroki.
Police said that the family members, assisted by Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko, took the businessman to the station “for management” but they later took him to a city hospital.
Mr Kobia, according to the police, had also claimed that he was behind the mysterious death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s son, Fidel Odinga.
At 10:16 Thursday, Ms Mboroki, the Kenya Police spokesperson, called this writer and informed him that she had confirmed from police criminal investigations chief Nicholas Kamwende that Mr Kobia started shooting in the air in his home saying he had killed Fidel.
She said his family was then assisted by Senator Sonko to take Mr Kobia to Gigiri police station, who took him to Aga Khan hospital.
Moments later, acting Inspector General of Police Samuel Arachi sent a statement to the newsroom saying Mr Kobia had not been arrested in relation to the death of Fidel.
“We want to clarify that Mr Kobia was taken to Gigiri police station by his family who wanted to be assisted in having him restrained and escorted to a psychiatrist after he started shouting incoherently and acting violently,” said Mr Arachi.
“The said Kobia has therefore not been arrested as such.”
CONGO GOLD SCAM
Mr Kobia alias Paul Ilunga Ngoei, is no stranger to the limelight. The man was mentioned in the 392 page UN report over Congo Gold Scam.
In July 15 last year, he shot dead a suspect while driving along Limuru Road at around 7.45 pm. Police reports at the time stated that he had been confronted by three men, one armed with a pistol. One of the suspects snatched his phone, a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 valued at Sh74,000.
He pursued them and shot one of them dead. However nothing was recovered.
Police immediately identified the deceased as John Wanjohi Mugwanja, 31. The two others are said to have escaped to the City Park Forest.
“Officers who responded pursued the suspects but did not trace them. We have launched investigations into the reported attack and the shooting,” police had said.
The investigation file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for further direction but no action has ever been taken.
Ms Mboroki, at the time, said investigations had revealed that there were some inconsistencies in Mr Kobia’s statement, prompting further investigations.
MURDER CHARGE
“We are waiting for the advice of the DPP on whether to charge the suspect with murder or institute an inquest,” she said.
Mr Kobia is a licenced firearm holder, and was armed with a Browning Pistol.
The DPP is to decide whether Mr Kobia should be charged with murder or manslaughter, and also consider any defence Mr Kobia had and how it is likely to affect the prospect of prosecution.
Police have maintained that contrary to what has been claimed, the man was not known to Mr Kobia, neither had he worked with him.
Speaking to Nairobi News after the shooting incident last year, Mr Kobia had said that he had never met the deceased.
“I shot in the air twice before I shot him as he was escaping with my phone which he had snatched. He has never been my partner. All my partners stay in Karen,” he said.
The postmortem was conducted on July 24, and it established that Mr Mugwanja was shot two times at close range from the front. He was shot on the face and chest, probably when kneeling.
The investigations, which started at Parklands police station, were later taken over by Corporal John Njeru from the DCIO’s office in Gigiri.