![The owner of the car, Maurice Kamau Kamotho, denied that he was the one driving the vehicle on February 12 on Kiambu Road. [PHOTO | K24 DIGITAL]](https://i0.wp.com/www.k24tv.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KCV-415H.jpg?resize=730%2C414&ssl=1)
By Susan Kogi and Brian Okoth
Aggrieved motorists who were -- last week Wednesday -- knocked down by a motorist on Kiambu Road in Nairobi, on Saturday, February 22, cornered the owner of the vehicle of registration plate KCV 415H at Ndumberi shopping centre, and frog-marched him to the nearby Ndumberi police post.
One of the cyclists had been monitoring the vehicle’s movement for the last one week, and when he spotted it at the Ndumberi shopping centre in Kiambu on Saturday, he alerted the others, who arrived at the market accompanied by police.
The owner of the car, Maurice Kamau Kamotho, denied that he was the one driving the vehicle on February 12 on Kiambu Road. Kamotho said he had lent the car to his friend, whom he identified only as Jeff, and that he suspects that it was Jeff who knocked down the cyclists.
Kamotho told police that he did not know that his car was involved in a hit-and-run incident, but suspected that Jeff could have been involved in a minor road accident after he realised on Thursday, February 20, while washing his car that the left side mirror did not have the vehicle’s registration plate number imprinted on it.
Kamotho said he has been attempting to reach Jeff on phone, but he has been offline.
Police gave Kamotho two working days to produce Jeff or else he will be the one to face legal trouble.
The vehicle owner, however, said he was ready to pay for any damages incurred by the cyclists following the hit-and-run incident.
Police directed Kamotho to report back to the station on Wednesday, February 26.
Kenyans on Twitter on February 12 piled pressure on the DCI and police officers in Kiambu County to investigate and reveal the identity of the person who was driving a motor vehicle of registration plate KCV 415H, which knocked down three cyclists on Kiambu Road.
The 6:30am incident left Raphael Thuo, 22, Gideon Ritho, 33, and Joseph Boby, 22, who were headed the same direction, nursing minor injuries.
A 40-second video clip shared on micro-blogging site, Twitter, on February 12 showed the driver of the KCV 415H car, a Toyota Sienta, ramming the three, and speeding away.
Twitter users questioned why the Sienta driver knocked down the cyclists, yet there was no danger looming from the opposite direction.
“We usually cycle to different destinations within Nairobi and its environs at least three times a week,” one of the victims, Raphael Thuo, told K24 Digital.
“Today morning (Wednesday, February 12) we were cycling from Umoja towards Limuru on Kiambu Road, when a vehicle that was behind us rammed us on the sides at quick speed.
“Instead of stopping to assess the situation, the person driving the car sped off. The three of us sustained minor injuries. However, one of us suffered back injuries and complained of being in pain,” said Thuo.
According to the victim, the vehicle’s left side mirror fell at the scene; 500 meters from Kiambu Town.
“We were able to know the car’s plate number from the side mirror, given its registration details were imprinted on it,” said Thuo.
The cyclist said they reported the incident at Kiambu Police Station.
“We, thereafter, went to the Kiambu Level 5 Hospital for medical check-up. After being discharged, we went back home. I hope justice is served. I would urge motorists to exercise tolerance on the roads, and observe traffic rules, which recognise cyclists as worthy road users. If the road is narrow, a motorist should hoot, and the cyclist will give way,” said Thuo.
