Kiambu court detains police officer accused of killing boda boda riders in Thika after drunken crash
Senior Resident Magistrate Jackline Karani ruled that IPOA had not fully justified its request for 21 days but found sufficient grounds to grant a shorter period.
A Kiambu court has allowed the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to detain a police officer for 14 days over the killing of two boda boda riders along the Thika–Garissa road.
Senior Resident Magistrate Jackline Karani ruled that IPOA had not fully justified its request for 21 days but found sufficient grounds to grant a shorter period.
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The officer, Constable Erick Gitonga Nyaga, will be held at Kiambu Police Station while investigators subject his firearm—a Ceska pistol serial number 001228515—to ballistic and forensic analysis.
Nyaga is being investigated in connection with the deaths of Kennedy Ojuma (38) and Stephen Mwendwa Maweu (39). During his detention, he will be allowed access to his lawyer and family.
At the end of the 14 days, the magistrate ordered that Nyaga be released on a Sh300,000 bond with one surety of the same amount.
He must also report to IPOA’s investigating officer on alternate days until investigations are complete. The case will be mentioned on September 21, 2023, for further directions.
Collect more evidence
On Monday, IPOA told the court that Nyaga’s detention was necessary to allow forensic testing of his firearm, post-mortem examinations of the deceased, and interviews with witnesses, including police officers. The agency also cited the need to reconstruct the crime scene and collect more evidence.
In an affidavit, IPOA Assistant Director of Forensics Paul Njihia stated that on September 7, 2025, Nyaga, allegedly intoxicated, was involved in a minor accident while driving his black Audi, registration number KDC 053K, near Thika.
When traffic officers arrived at the scene and tried to disarm him, Nyaga allegedly resisted and shot two civilians, killing them instantly. He was later subdued, arrested, and disarmed by police. His firearm, loaded with 9mm ammunition, was seized as an exhibit.
During the incident, members of the public torched Nyaga’s vehicle. The two victims’ bodies were moved to General Kago Mortuary, while the burnt vehicle was towed to Makongeni Police Station as evidence.
Njihia told the court that IPOA immediately launched investigations as required by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority Act, which mandates the authority to probe deaths or serious injuries linked to police actions.
He added that post-mortems were still pending, the firearm had yet to undergo forensic analysis, and several key witness statements remained unrecorded.
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