GSU officer, suspect forged friendship in State House Nairobi, then murder

At just 30 years, Ramadhan Matanka had served two sitting presidents in different capacities, three years apart. It was his destiny to work at State House.Matanka landed his first job at State House in 2020. His father, Hassan Dabie Matanka, was a State House employee. Then President Uhuru Kenyatta directed that children of the employees who were over 18-years-old be drafted into his Green Army—an initiative to clean Nairobi River and support the city’s waste management department. The Green Army’s first-ever task was to keep State House sparkling clean.At the time, Matanka had just completed his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams.

Multiple sources close to the investigations into Matanka’s brutal murder on Monday have disclosed that he met Kithuka Kimunyi, his suspected killer, while serving in the Green Army. At the time, Kimunyi was working in State House Nairobi.Read: State House scare: Ties between GSU man and suspected killer revealedThe two are believed to have forged a strong friendship that may be construed as unusual, since Kimunyi was twice Matanka’s age.During one of Mr Kenyatta’s interactions with the Green Army, he asked the youth if any of them was interested in joining the National Police Service. Matanka was one of many whose hands were firmly raised. That was how he received a direct recruitment into the General Service Unit (GSU).As though scripted by lady destiny herself, Matanka was drafted into the G company of the GSU, which is usually in charge of offering protection services at State House and lodges across the country.

In July, Matanka was among officers assigned protection duties at State House Nairobi. He was largely tasked with screening pedestrians and motorists at the various State House entrances.By the time Matanka returned to State House as a GSU officer, Kimunyi’s contract had ended. But their friendship continued.On multiple occasions, Matanka and Kimunyi would meet at the different State House gates, depending on which one the former had been assigned to protect on a given day.

Police say that on Monday, Kimunyi whipped out an arrow from a sack he carried into the security booth of State House’s Gate D, and with it killed Matanka.Two of Matanka’s colleagues, who were searching a vehicle when the incident occurred, have recorded statements with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). In their statements, they corroborate the friendship angle that other police sources had earlier told the Nation.The friendship had softened the otherwise strict GSU officers, allowing Matanka and Kimunyi to even sit and chat inside the security booth—something that would ordinarily be considered as a security breach.

An official familiar with the investigations on Tuesday said that CCTV footage showed that on the fateful day, Matanka spoke with Kimunyi in the security booth for about 17 minutes before the incident.“After reviewing the CCTV, we can only say there was laxity on the side of the officers,” said an investigator familiar with the investigations. According to the official, Matanka and fellow officers spent close to 20 minutes chatting at the workstation.After a while, two of Matanka’s colleagues are seen on camera walking away, leaving Matanka and Kimunyi still in conversation. It is at this point that the attacker pulls out an arrow and stabs Matanka, who falls to the ground.Read: Suspect in State House killing arraigned, to remain behind bars for interrogationThis contradicts an earlier statement by the National Police Service that a loitering, armed man shot the GSU officer with a bow and arrow after being challenged to stop.

Yesterday, a Nairobi court allowed investigators from Kilimani DCI 14 days to hold and question Kimunyi over the murder.An officer familiar with the investigation told the Nation that Kimunyi had told the police that he had been led to kill by “dark forces”.Matanka was buried in his family’s Kajiado home on October 14.Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said he would not comment on the matter until the investigations are complete.“Let’s wait for the investigation to reveal what transpired,” Kanja said on phone.At the same time, GSU Commandant Robinson Lolomodon has directed senior police officers at State House to hasten investigations into the incident. The investigation will look into all aspects of the security operations.[email protected]