Four Suspects Await Ruling on Bond in Matatu Tout’s Murder
“The two Sacco’s which operate along Temple Road within Starehe Constituency, Nairobi have been having a long standing dispute,” DCI officer Pwoka Mauka told the court.
Four murder suspects will know their fate on whether the Nairobi court will entertain their bond application plea or detain them for 21 days on Friday.
In the meantime, Milimani senior principal magistrate Benmark Ekhubi ordered Hannington Oloo Ogumbo, Duncan Ochola, Vitalis Owino and Daniel Ochieng Ojwang to be detained at Kamukunji police station until Friday when he will make a ruling.
The four suspects who are linked with Obamana Matatu Sacco Limited allegedly killed Dickson Otieno Ombaka, an employee of the Sacco on August 3, 2025. The court was told that there has been a long time conflict between Obamana Sacco and Obamana Link Sacco Limited over dropping and picking of passenger spaces along Temple road.
“The two Sacco’s which operate along Temple Road within Starehe Constituency, Nairobi have been having a long standing dispute,” DCI officer Pwoka Mauka told the court.
Constable Mauka who is investigating the murder of the tout urged the magistrate to remand the four touts for 21 days to enable him complete investigations.
The magistrate heard the two Sacco’s have been wrangling and fighting over the monopoly of the stage where commuters are dropped and picked.
Urging the magistrate to remand the suspects for 21 days at Kamukunji Police Station, Mauka said he needs time to record statements from intended witnesses.
He also said he requires time to escort the four suspects to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for a mental examination to establish whether they are fit to stand trial.
He further said a postmortem on the body is yet to be conducted to establish the cause of death,
The magistrate heard that an identification parade will be conducted for the suspects to be identified by witnesses who witnessed the incident.
“The suspects acted in concert with others who are at large and police are tracing them to bring them to book to face justice,” Mauka stated.
The investigator said if the suspects are released on bond at this stage they will interfere with investigations thereby compromising justice.
The magistrate was told the suspects fatally stabbed the tout who was rushed to Medicins Sans Frontier Hospital (MSF) in Juja where he succumbed.
“Police visited the hospital and found the lifeless body of Ombaka. It was removed and taken to Mama Lucy Hospital awaiting autopsy,” Mauka testified.
A defense lawyer opposed the 21-days detention period saying no tangible evidence was presented before court to warrant the grant of the plea.
The lawyer prayed to release the suspects on bond and order them to liase with Mauka for interrogation
The magistrate reserved his decision whether to allow the police request or to free the suspects on bond as investigations progress on.
“You will be remanded in custody until August 8, 2025 when I will render an application seeking detention for 21 days. You will be detained at Kamukunji Police Station,” the magistrate directed.
