Walking back home on Sunday morning, three friends never knew what the cruel hand of fate had in store.
Earlier, Shukri Adan, Mr Wycliff Nyakwama and Mr Festus Mutinda had narrowly escaped blows and a hail of stones after a confrontation with a matatu crew whose vehicle had collided with the car they were using at Imara Daima estate in Nairobi.
Shaken but relieved, they chose to walk the short distance home, convinced that danger was behind them.
They were grateful to be alive. But little did they know that their walk would be their last. Adan never made it home. He was shot dead at close range, barely 300 metres from his house.
Adan was supposed to begin a new chapter of his life, as he was to enrol at a heavy machinery operations school in Thika on January 12, 2026.
But as fate would have it, his life was violently cut short in what his family describes as a gangland-style execution.
Mr Nyakwama and Mr Mutinda watched helplessly as life drained out of their childhood friend. They are struggling to understand how a night of laughter turned so swiftly into irreversible loss.
In the wee hours of Sunday, the three friends, having wrapped up a night of merry-making, received a phone call from the owner of the vehicle that they were using. The car was needed for an early morning job.
Mr Nyakwama, who was in charge of the vehicle, did not want to disappoint his employer. He asked his friends to accompany him as he took the car back.
Their journey was cut short when they were involved in an accident involving a matatu at Imara Daima. What began as a routine exchange of details quickly escalated into a heated verbal confrontation. Sensing that they were outnumbered should the argument turn physical, the matatu driver and conductor called for reinforcement.
Within minutes, other matatu crews arrived, tipping the balance of power, and the scene descended into chaos.
Outnumbered and fearing for their safety, the three friends jumped back into their car and fled, narrowly escaping the mob that had quickly formed around them.
Since they were familiar with the area, they decided to park the car at what they considered a safe location — the Mukuru Community Centre. From there, they called the vehicle’s owner and explained what had happened.
Once the matter of the car was settled, they opted to walk back home. Their houses were barely 300m away. They began strolling after the frightening encounter.
Police officers Godwin Mujomba (right) and Patrick Mutunga in court on January 12, 2026. They are being investigated over the murder of Shukri Adan.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
A few minutes into the walk, they ran into two police officers who have now been identified as Sergeant Godwin Mjomba and Constable Patrick Mutuma.
The three young men were ordered to lie down and warned not to move. According to accounts obtained by the Nation, Mr Nyakwama was told to move some distance away from his friends.
Terrified and confused, the young men pleaded with the officers, saying that they had not done anything wrong. They pleaded with the officers not to harm them.
“In the commotion, Adan moved suddenly. And that is when the shots were fired, and he died,” the Nation was told.
A report by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) shows that one of the officers discharged his firearm, fatally wounding Adan. The bullet struck his head. He dropped to the ground as his friends screamed for help.
Postmortem examination results, conducted a few hours later before Adan’s burial at Lang’ata Muslim Cemetery, confirmed that he died from a head injury caused by a single gunshot.
His father, Mr Adan Ibrahim, demanded justice for his son. He said that he was killed in cold blood, without provocation.
“He had done nothing. Why would they be ordered to lie flat on the ground and, after complying, still be shot without committing any crime? My son has never had a case with the police. Why did they shoot him? I want justice for my son,” he said.
Adan’s mother, Ms Sadia Adorob, who was overwhelmed by grief, said that she could not bring herself to speak about her son’s sudden and violent death. She said that even if her son had committed an offence, the law provided clear procedures that should have been followed.
“If he had done something wrong, he should have been arrested, taken to court, and, if found guilty, sentenced according to the law. He should not have been executed on the street,” she said.
Adan’s father said that the family had received information that the two officers had been taken to court and remanded for 14 days as investigations continue.
“We appreciate this step by the government, but we want the process fast-tracked and those responsible imprisoned for their crime,” Mr Ibrahim said.
What made the loss even harder for him was the fact that they had made plans together for his son’s future. They had been saving diligently for Adan’s school fees, determined to equip him with a skill that would secure his livelihood.
“I was to enrol him on Monday (yesterday) to study heavy machinery operation, including excavators, in Thika. But before this dream became a reality, I hear my son has been shot dead for no reason. This is injustice of the highest level,” Mr Ibrahim said.
Adan’s aunt, Ms Abdia Huka, also spoke about the family’s anguish. She said that her nephew had no criminal record, and he had obeyed the police officers’ orders.
“We are pained. We are inconsolable. Adan’s death is extremely painful. There were only two children in that family — Adan and his younger sister, who is still in high school. Justice must prevail,” Ms Huka said.
The two suspects were presented before a magistrate’s court. Ipoa filed a miscellaneous application seeking 21 days to conduct further investigations.
The court granted the authority 14 days to complete its investigations. The two officers are currently being held at Capitol Hill Police Station under OB number 30/11/1/2026.
“The shooting of Adan sparked widespread protests and destructive demonstrations, with members of the public demanding instant justice,” the magistrate observed.
“The prosecution has established the need to detain the two suspects, who are police officers, for 14 days to enable detectives to compile the investigation diary and committal bundles for the capital offence of murder,” she ruled.
Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) Chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation
The magistrate also noted initial attempts to conceal the incident before Ipoa took over investigations. In a statement, Ipoa confirmed that it had commenced investigations into the fatal shooting. The authority said it had obtained relevant police documents and recorded witness and police statements.
“Being in control of the situation, the Authority urges members of the public to remain calm as it works to finalise investigations efficiently and in a timely manner. Ipoa reiterates its commitment to fair, impartial and independent investigations,” said Ipoa chairperson Issak Hassan.
