Kevin Omwenga died on same date as mother, brother says as the 28-year-old is buried

City resident and former car dealer, Kevin Omwenga, was on Saturday, August 29 laid to rest at his ancestral home in Soko Village, Kitutu Chache South Constituency in Kisii County.

Omwenga died at his Kilimani home on Friday, August 21, after he was allegedly shot in the chest by his friend-cum-business partner Robert Bodo Ouko.

His burial Saturday was attended by local politicians and flashy Nairobi-based “businessmen”.

Zaheer Jhanda, former Starehe parliamentary hopeful Steve Mbogo, Don Bosco Gichana and Charles Nyagoto were among the people in attendance.

Speakers at the funeral described the late Omwenga as an “industrious person, who got his wealth through honest means”.

Kevin’s brother, Wycliffe Omwenga, who was present when the 28-year-old succumbed to gunshot injuries, said he and his siblings now do not have a bread-winner after their mother and sister died on separate dates in 2019.

Wycliffe said Kevin died on the same date -- August 21 -- as their mother, only that Kevin’s death occurred a year later.

“I urge authorities to ensure we get justice for our brother. After our father died years ago, I took it upon myself to raise Kevin. Kevin’s killer knows why he did so. I trust in God to deal with him the best way He knows,” said Wycliffe.

“Pray for us. Kevin died on the same date as our mother, who passed away one year ago,” he added.

According to Wycliffe, he and Kevin were planning their mum’s memorial before his (Kevin’s) life was ended by a bullet fired to the chest.

Police have so far arrested two suspects in connection with Kevin Omwenga’s death. Those in custody are: Robert Bodo Ouko (the person believed to have fatally shot Omwenga) and Chris Obure (the alleged owner of the gun used in Omwenga’s killing).

According to Ouko, who has since been arrested and arraigned, Omwenga accidentally shot himself as he (Ouko) and Omwenga fought over a gun, which Ouko had allegedly given Omwenga for show-off purposes. Ouko said, in his statement filed at Kilimani Police Station, that Omwenga had borrowed him the firearm so that he could floss it to his newly found love interest — a Tanzanian woman he was with that night.

Ouko’s statement, however, did not explain the preceding argument before the incident.

The fired bullet, ripped through Omwenga’s chest and hit a wall on the bedroom.

On Monday, August 24, the Chief Government Pathologist, Dr. Johansen Oduor, said that autopsy conducted on Omwenga’s body indicated that he (Omwenga) was shot at close range.

“He was shot once in the left chest area. The bullet tore through the heart then there was a collapse of the left lung and a lot of bleeding in the left side of the chest,” said Oduor.

On whether the shooting was premeditated or accidental as alleged by Ouko in his statement to the police, Dr. Oduor said he couldn’t make a conclusive determination.

“It is hard to answer [whether the incident was accidental or deliberate] because that is based on the circumstance [that led to the shooting].

When I look at the bullet, it was a close shot, which entered his body at an elevated angle,” said Dr. Oduor.

“The bullet exited in his back area after going through his vital organs. It appears the victim died instantly. With an injury to his heart, he had little chance of survival,” added the chief State pathologist.

CCTV recordings show that Ouko and a few of his friends carried Omwenga’s body from his house to a waiting car at the basement of Galana Suites Apartments at 11:35pm. The vehicle, thereafter, left for Nairobi Women’s Hospital, where Omwenga was pronounced dead on arrival.

So far, police have recorded statements from the key suspect, Ouko, his friend-cum-boss, Chris Obure, who is alleged to be the owner of the gun that was used in the fatal shooting of Omwenga, the lady who was with Omwenga on Friday night, the deceased’s brother, Wycliffe Omwenga, among others.

DCI detectives are now looking for a man of Arab descent, who was caught on CCTV cameras leaving Omwenga’s house at 9:36pm before returning at 9:39pm.

The man, who has since been identified as Jamal, is said to be Omwenga’s neighbour. Omwenga and Jamal had, of late, struck a close friendship, and that the two were planning to travel to Dubai at the end of this week.

Detectives would want to establish the key purpose of the duo’s planned trip to Dubai.

On Tuesday, August 25, Robert Bodo Ouko and Chris Obure, the key suspects in the killing of Omwenga, were arraigned before Kibera Law Courts’ Magistrate, Derrick Kuto, who allowed police to detain the two for 12 days as investigations into the death of Omwenga continue.

Investigating Officer, Bashir Boya, told Magistrate Kuto that he was yet to record statements from key witnesses as well as take Ouko and Obure’s finger prints, photo profile and DNA samples for analysis by the Government Chemist.

The magistrate also ordered that Ouko and Obure be taken to Mathari Mental Hospital so that they undergo psychiatric tests before being arraigned.

The two are expected back in court on September 4, 2020.

It remains unclear what led to the fatal shooting of Omwenga, though reports suggest that Ouko and the deceased quarreled over how they would share proceeds of a fake gold scam amounting to millions of shillings.