Police officer attached to DP Ruto’s Harambee House Annex office found dead in Imara Daima

One of the Administration Police (AP) officers attached to the Office of the Deputy President William Ruto at Harambee House Annex was on Thursday afternoon (February 20) found dead in his Imara Daima house with a gunshot wound.

The deceased officer, Sergeant Frank Kipyegon Kemei, was one of the law enforcement agents who were being sought by a team of DCI detectives investigating the fake Ksh39 billion arms tender, which has sucked in former Sports minister Rashid Echesa.

Reports indicated that he was the officer who welcomed Echesa and the foreigners at DP Ruto’s office, and also escorted them to the well-guarded second-floor of the building on February 13 around 9.30am.

Another team from the DCI’s Special Services Unit (SSU), which had been tasked with tracking him down had reported that his mobile phones had been switched off for the last three days, and could not be traced.

A neighbour told K24 Digital that the officer’s body was found on the bed, with the gun placed next to him.

“He was lying dead in his pyjamas when police arrived at the scene a few minutes past midday,” said the neighbour, who spoke in confidence.

Nairobi Police commander Philip Ndolo on Thursday evening confirmed the shooting, saying the deceased had been shot in the chin. The firearm, which was found besides his body, was said to have been officially issued to him.

It remains unclear whether Kipyegon committed suicide, or was killed, with detectives saying they have launched a probe into his death.

A team of detectives from the Homicide Department and the Crime Scene Services at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters, led by DCI boss George Kinoti, on Thursday evening visited the scene at Twiga Court, Villa Franca Estate and conducted initial investigations.

The bullet is said to have hit the chin and went through the neck before finally hitting the ceiling board of the house.

The mysterious death comes just a day after Deputy President William Ruto, through his Chief of Staff, Ken Osinde, wrote to the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to investigate all his staff, including police officers who could have aided Echesa and his team access the building.

“Any officer in our establishment who will be found culpable should be arraigned in court the soonest possible,” the DP’s Chief of Staff Ken Osinde said.