The death of Felix Kitosi, a senior detective in Nairobi's Dagoretti sub-county, who died on Saturday while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital, has exposed a major cover-up by some rogue officers at Kikuyu police station.
Kitosi was involved in a road rage incident with Mr Joseph Mwenda, popularly known as DJ Joe Mfalme, and his crew.
The detective had driven out of Club Texas in Kikuyu town together with a woman. The two had attended an event and where DJ Joe Mfalme was the guest entertainer, but on their way out at 4am on Saturday, March 16, Kitosi’s car rear-ended DJ Joe Mfalme’s motor vehicle, causing slight damage to the bumper.
Infuriated, DJ Joe Mfalme and his crew, comprising his bouncer Allan Ochieng, alias Ballo, his photographer Eric Kariuki Gathua, alias Ricco, and his driver Simon Wambugu, reportedly beat up Kitosi and later made their way to Kikuyu Police Station to record a statement.
Kitosi was again assaulted inside the station by fellow police officers Sammy Rotich Cherono, Khadija Abdi Wako and Agnes Kerubo Mugo. For context, the distance from where the incident happened to where Kikuyu Police Station is one kilometre.
At the station, DJ Joe Mfalme and his crew were let to go and Kitosi, having bled profusely, was driven home by a friend and was later rushed to the hospital.
Before this, Kitosi's friend had told colleagues at the Dagoretti Sub-county Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) office that one of their colleagues had been attacked.
They rushed to Kikuyu Police Station and informed their colleagues that the person they had roughed up was one of their own.
So deliberate was the cover-up that even a police signal that was sent out to police headquarters regarding the incident never mentioned DJ Joe Mfalme, the police officers implicated, and DJ Joe Mfalme’s accomplices.
Kitosi was armed when the incident happened.
Were it not for the death of Kitosi, the incident would have died out like many other cases of assault involving prominent people.
The cover-up continued on Saturday when Kitosi’s body was subjected to numerous post-mortem exams at Umash Funeral Home.
The first test done by a government pathologist was disputed by Kitosi’s family after it showed that he had an underlying condition that could have caused his death.
A second post-mortem done by a police pathologist showed that he died of sudden cardiovascular collapse and blunt abdominal trauma, with a final diagnosis showing the cause as blunt abdominal trauma and traumatic injury to the bladder.
''Clinical summary shows he came with severe abdominal pain following assault two days prior to presentation. Referral from Langata Hospital dated medical report 16/3/2024 shows assault by people unknown to him. Was kicked in the abdomen severally , no associated vomiting. Normal bowel mentions. Initially unable to pass urine for around four hour by time of arrival to hospital... and passed blood stained urine,’’ a report compiled by Nairobi West Hospital by doctor Esther Mwinzi that Nation has seen shows.
Both the family of the deceased and DJ Joe Mfalme have requested additional post-mortem exams to conclusively show what killed Kitosi.
Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Officer Peter Njeru told Nation on Sunday that he was aware of the matter and that it was being investigated. He said DJ Joe Mfalme and his crew alongside the implicated police officers will be arraigned in court today where the prosecution team will be seeking to hold them for a while pending the conclusion of investigations.
Post-mortem exams
Mr Njeru at the same time confirmed that further post-mortem exams will be carried out to ascertain what really transpired and killed Kitosi.
''The matter is under active investigation and I can confirm that DJ Joe Mfalme together with his allies and several police officers from Kikuyu Police Station have been arrested and are currently being held at Muthangari Police Station and Kabete Police Station respectively.
“More post-mortem exams will be done as requested by the family and the accused persons to ascertain what really happened. The accused will be arraigned at Kibera Law Courts today and we shall be seeking to detain them longer to conclude investigations. We intend to charge them with murder,’ Mr Njeru told Nation.
DJ Joe Mfalme and the police officers implicated in the case were arrested on Saturday in Kiambu and Nairobi respectively.
Kitosi will be buried on Thursday next week in Kitengela