Mystery of afternoon of fun that turned to murder at midnight

On Monday at noon, Corporal Carolyne Kangogo and Peter Ndwiga, the proprietor of Superb Security Group Limited, drove into Jogoo Kimakia County Lodge in Thika.

The lodge, which stands less than two kilometres from Blue Post Hotel along the road to Gatanga, Murang’a County, is an old facility in a sparsely populated and forested area.

Staff and a security guard at the facility told the Nation the two heartily enjoyed drinks, and from the manner they interacted, no one would have suspected anything bad could happen.

“She was in the company of a man when they drove in on Monday afternoon and they seemed comfortable with each other. It is the lady who recommended the drinks they should take,’’ an attendant disclosed.

“After they were done drinking, it is the lady who footed the Sh3,020 bill. She paid through PDQ,’’ the attendant explained.

Constant communication

The information corroborated preliminary investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Juja that the two were in constant communication.

It is, however, unclear whether Ndwiga was aware that hours earlier, his woman companion had fled Nakuru where she is suspected to have killed her fellow police officer John Ogweno.

PC Ogweno was found dead in his car with a bullet to the head. It’s suspected he had been murdered around 2am on Monday.

Investigations have so far revealed Ms Kangongo and Ogweno shared a meal on Sunday night at the woman’s house but later fought when another man showed up.

The identity of the mystery man, whom police believe witnessed or aided in Ogweno’s killing, is yet to be known.

Detectives were yesterday trying to establish how Ndwiga and Cpl Kangogo linked up so fast after Ogweno’s death and drove together in Ndwiga’s car to Jogoo Kimakia County Lodge.

Juja DCIO Richard Mwaura told the Daily Nation yesterday that Cpl Kangongo and Ndwiga later on Monday evening drove together to Dedamax Hotel off Thika road.

Walked out alone

An attendant at the hotel said the lovers checked in at 8pm but Ms Kangogo walked out alone some minutes past midnight.

The hotel is in a three-storey building. The ground floor is taken up by business stalls, the first and second floors house guest rooms while the club is on the third floor.

A single room at the hotel costs between Sh1, 500 and Sh2,500 per night but the rate is negotiable.

The lovers booked room 107.

Pool of blood

Ndwiga’s body was found in a pool of blood with a bullet wound on the head.

Workers at the hotel are said to have gone to find out why the guests were yet to check out when they stumbled on Ndwiga’s body.

It then emerged the woman with whom Ndwiga had walked into the room had melted into the night on the pretext that she was going to buy toothpaste.  

Ndwiga’s vehicle was found abandoned in Kimbo, near the murder scene and towed to Juja Police Station.

Detectives said the killer might have chosen the hotel due its strategic location next to Kimbo bus stage, a busy spot characterised by loud honking of matatu horns.

The area teems with college students, as it is home to numerous hostels that serve neighbouring institutions such as Nairobi Institute of Business Studies, Zetech University and Kenyatta University Ruiru campus.

The Daily Nation visited General Kago Funeral Home, where the man’s body was taken.

Single bullet

It emerged that the single bullet that killed Ndwiga went through the ear and exited on the other side of his head.

An official at the facility said the body was brought in at 4pm on Tuesday by police officers from Theta Police Station.

“The investigations are progressing very well and soon we are going to announce her arrest because the matter is serious and urgent and we do not want any other Kenyan to fall victim,’’ said Mr Mwaura.

Ndwiga, 32, was the founder and proprietor of Superb Security Group Limited.

The company, whose head office was in Ruiru, Kiambu County, has branches in Nairobi, Machakos, Kiambu, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega, Meru and Embu.

The company also offers consultancy services including private investigations, electric fencing, CCTV intruder alarms, alarm and back-up services.

The firm also provides security for events such as weddings and burials. Ndwiga, who once worked as a police officer, hails from Mbeere in Embu County.

It is not clear what motivated the shooting.

Detectives were yet to establish the motive of the killing even though there were indications that Ms Kangogo had an affair with the two security men she is suspected to have killed.

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