Nairobi News

News

Policeman at Ruto office when Echesa visited found dead – VIDEO


A policeman who was on duty when former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa visited Deputy President William Ruto’s office was found dead on Thursday.

Sergeant John Kipyegon Kemei, 33, was at the Harambee House Annex in Nairobi the day Mr Echesa visited and was later arrested over a fake Sh40 billion military equipment tender.

The policeman had a gunshot wound to the head at his house in Imara Daima, Nairobi County.

SUSPECTED SUICIDE

Sergeant Kemei’s workmates decided to visit his house at Twiga Court after failing to contact him by phone for more than 12 hours.

On reaching his house, located at the Villa Franca area, they found the main door open.

His body was found in the sitting room at about 2pm with a bullet wound to his chin. The bullet exited from the top of his head and hit the ceiling.

County Police Commander Reuben Ndolo said they would investigate suicide.

“The bullet exited through the head and hit the ceiling. Beside the body was a Jericho pistol loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition,” the police report says.

“Also, one spent cartridge was recovered from the house. It is suspected that the officer committed suicide. A note bearing the words ‘call my cousin Ben’ was recovered inside the house.”

The body was taken to the City Mortuary.

PROBE WIDENED

This comes as detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations widen the probe and seek to arrest more suspects in the deal involving America’s Echo Advanced Technologies, LLC.

Detectives visited the office, which is being treated as a crime scene, for the third time on Tuesday, after reviewing CCTV footage recorded on February 13.

The sleuths also asked for footage recorded two days earlier.

So far, they have questioned all the staff members who were present when Mr Echesa was arrested just outside DP Ruto’s office, minutes after appending signatures to the deal.

Those interrogated include security guards, secretaries and orderlies said to have been in contact with Mr Echesa.

DCI boss George Kinoti has said more arrests will be made.

Meanwhile, the DP’s office says that when Mr Echesa arrived at the Harambee House Annex, he said he had an appointment. But preliminary investigations found no records of an appointment booked earlier.