Bodyguard recalls close shave with death on dark Sunday

The events of June 10 two years ago are etched in the mind of Mr Samuel Topoika like it happened just yesterday.

Mr Topoika, a trusted bodyguard of Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, was destined to be in the ill-fated helicopter that crashed less than an hour after take-off from Wilson airport that morning.

Mr Topoika, who served Prof Saitoti for more than 10 years, checked into the helicopter with his boss, put on a seat belt and prepared for take-off before he was asked to disembark because “he was too heavy”.

His place was immediately taken by his colleague, Mr Thomas Murimi, who was the bodyguard of Assistant Minister Orwa Ojode in a switch that saved Topoika’s life.

“I was destined to be in that helicopter. This is something I do not like talking about. I lost my bosses and friends I worked with for years. These people were family to me,” said Mr Topoika during an interview with the Sunday Nation.

Mr Topoika, whose family resides in Entonet village in Oloitokitok, was so shaken by the incident that he donated an acre of land for construction of Entonet Catholic Church to appreciate God for saving his life.

During the interview, Mr Topoika, who has since left the National Police Service (NPS), cuts the image of a lonely man and time and again stares blankly.

However, what is certain is that Mr Topoika is a guarded man, picks his words carefully before speaking, and is very protective of his bosses and friends. The father of six says Prof Saitoti and Mr Ojode were scheduled for a fundraising in Ndhiwa constituency before attending a security meeting on the border of Rift Valley and Nyanza where cattle rustling was manifesting as tribal clashes.

“I used to live at waziri’s Lavington home. On that fateful morning I left the house early to go for breakfast at Lavington shopping centre. However, I delayed briefly and dashed back to find them at the gate,” says Mr Topoika.

Mr Topoika recalls that together with his colleagues they escorted their boss to Wilson Airport.

He says that Prof Saitoti was jovial that morning and on arrival at Wilson at around 7.30 a.m, he headed straight to the VIP lounge.

“He was waiting for Assistant Minister Orwa Ojode in the lounge. On Ojode’s arrival after 30 minutes, they were animated as they walked to the waiting helicopter. On boarding the chopper, we followed. I entered and put on a seat belt but because of my weight; then I was heavy; I was asked to disembark,” says Mr Topoika who refused to disclose the person who asked him to leave.

He says that together with five other colleagues they watched the helicopter take off before retreating to Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) to while away the time as they waited for the return of their bosses.

“While in CBD at around 8.37 a.m, someone (name withheld) called me to ask whether waziri was in a police chopper. I confirmed to him the chopper. He told me that the chopper had crashed. We were all shocked. The six of us jumped into our car and rushed to the crash site. We found hundreds of people at the venue. I felt a lot of pain,” says Mr Topoika.

At this point, Mr Topoika betrays his emotional side when he says that “I pray to God to put them in a peaceful place. They were my brothers and my bosses”.

He notes that it was a turbulent period as they all had to be taken through mandatory counselling.

“All bodyguards, personal assistants, secretaries, drivers, and anyone who worked with waziri underwent mandatory counselling. However, for almost a year I was troubled. I could not sleep properly as events played in my mind. I prayed every day and only prayers helped me recover from the shock and trauma,” says Mr Topoika.

The retired officer says that after burial, he visited his family in Oloitokitok. The family, who had not seen him since the accident, organised a big homecoming for him.

“I was surprised when I arrived at home in Entonet. There were pastors and people came from as far away as Arusha, Tanzania, for the prayers,” he says.

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RECOMMENDATION

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) will now provide oversight to the National Police Air Wing (NAPW) as recommended by the commission of inquiry into the plane crash that killed Internal Security minister George Saitoti.

NAPW commandant John Owino told the Sunday Nation that the now defunct Kenya Police Air Wing (KPAW) operated without oversight from KCAA, which made it hard to observe high standards.

“It’s like working without a supervisor. You will do whatever you want. But now we have liaised with the KCAA to help us review our operating regulations,” said Eng Owino.

The recommendation for KCAA to provide oversight was contained in the report by the commission of inquiry into the June 2012 plane crash, which claimed the lives of Mr Saitoti, assistant minister Orwa Ojode, their bodyguards and two pilots.

“The new KPAW should meet Air Operator Certificate requirements of the civil aviation regulations before they are permitted to transport non-police officers,” recommended the commission that was chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Kalpana Rawal.