Detectives trace last moments of slain Nakuru businessman

Detectives investigating the murder of prominent Nakuru businessman David Mwangi Wachira are tracing his last movements and conversations, moments before he was attacked by unknown assailants on Saturday morning.

Mr Wachira, 45, popularly known as Kamlesh, succumbed to injuries he suffered during the Saturday morning attack by a gang of six people who accosted him at his Biscept Limited Company in Industrial Area within Nakuru Town.

But even as detectives piece together information in a bid to unravel the bizarre murder that has sparked a security scare among the business community and residents, crucial questions are emerging over the mysterious killing.

QUESTIONS

Was it an inside job by some employees of the alcoholic drinks manufacturing company or just a business deal gone sour? Was the attack as a result of business rivalry?

These are some of the questions that the investigations seek to answer.

A senior detective from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on Monday revealed to the Nation that several people, among them workers at the company, have recorded statements in connection with the murder.

STATEMENTS

“We have recorded statements from more than eight people including employees of the company and the deceased’s driver as we seek to understand what transpired prior to the incident,” said the officer who sought anonymity.

Detectives are also interrogating revelations that the businessman was attacked moments after concluding a business deal with a client at the company.

According to Nakuru Town West Police Boss Patrick Olonyi, the tycoon had arrived from a business trip to Kisumu before he was attacked.

CALL

“While in Kisumu, a client had called the deceased and enquired if he was in Nakuru town so that they could do a transaction. In the night of August 16, when the deceased arrived, he went straight to the company’s premises to seal the deal. The attack occurred minutes after the client left the premises,” said Mr Olonyi.

Workers who were present during the attack told the police that the criminals, who had waylaid them in the compound, tied their hands and legs before they executed the attack.

But questions abound as to why the attackers only targeted the businessman.

“The attack only on the deceased and not the employees is very telling and points to a well-planned scheme. We are not ruling out the fact that Mr Wachira may have been a victim of a sour business deal,” another detective told the Nation.

CCTV CAMERAS

The assailants also destroyed CCTV cameras at the company’s premises before they launched the attack, police revealed.

The attackers, whose motive remains unknown, did not steal anything from the premises. They only made away with Mr Wachira' phones.

A worker at the factory revealed that the assailants later ransacked the premises and Mr Wachira’s office before they fled the scene.

“The gang of about six people fled the scene by jumping over the factory’s perimeter wall. They did not steal anything apart from his phones,” said the employee.

On Monday, Nakuru County Police Commander Stephen Matu told the Nation that investigations were proceeding well and promised to track down and arrest the perpetrators of the killing.

“We will not rest until we ensure that the killers are apprehended and arraigned,” said Mr Matu.

CRUCIAL LEADS

Detectives told the Nation that they were following crucial leads, including the people he interacted with before he was attacked, in efforts to arrest his killers.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Mr Wachira may have died due to excessive internal bleeding as a result of severe injuries sustained from a blunt object.

His body, which is lying at the PN Ngari Funeral Home in Nakuru town, has three visible injuries on the forehead and on the neck, an indication that he may have been hit several times using a blunt object by his assailants.

INJURIES

He succumbed to the injuries on arrival at Nakuru’s Mediheal Hospital where he had been rushed by workers at the factory who responded to his distress call.

Mr Wachira is survived by a widow and four children.

The incident sparked outrage with leaders, among them Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama condemning the killing.

Mr Arama urged police to speed up investigations into the murder of the businessman whom he described as a humble and intelligent man.

“I urge the security agents to conduct thorough investigations and bring to book those behind the murder of the youthful businessman,” said Mr Arama.

The lawmaker urged Mr Wachira’s family to stay calm as police carry out investigations.