Death on Wheels: Taxi drivers, the new sources of death

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In the recent occurrences of murder cases doing rounds in Kenya’s media, there happens to be an apparent pattern which is trending.

It seems as though criminals are now finding new ways of doing their dirty deeds, through role- play, and for some, through the ordinary day-to-day services they pose to the public. It is still unclear as to why these thugs are targeting innocents when they are not even related in any way.

This time they are taking over the transport industry. Of late,taxi operators have found themselves in trouble over their involvement in high profile murders either by abetting or as victims. 

Jack Gombe – Sharon Otieno’s Murder


Jack was implicated in the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno after a car he was driving was found to have been used in the student’s kidnapping before her lifeless body was found in a forest. 

The vehicle was identified by the witness- Nation journalist Barack Oduor who allegedly escaped the captors by jumping out of the moving vehicle.

Jack Gombe one of the suspects in the murder of Sharon Otieno.

The black Toyota Fielder was known to be operating as a taxi in Migori town but had gone missing after the murder. 

Oliver Muthee, Joel Wainaina – Dusit Attack


The two taxi drivers were arrested following the Dusit attack that took the lives of 21 Kenyans. 

An affidavit filed by Monica Githaiga, a police officer stated that on that fateful day,  Muthee drove one of the attackers to Dusit. 

Wainaina, the second taxi driver, is believed to have ferried one of the attackers to various venues in Nairobi. 

Michael Mathenge – Mary Wambui’s murder


Mathenge confessed to helping dispose of the body of Mary Wambui who was allegedly killed by Judy Wangui, her husband’s mistress. 

Michael Mathenge in court over the murder of Mary Wambui.

Mathenge told police that when Judy called him to her house, she threatened to scream and frame him for Wambui’s murder if he failed to help her dispose of the body.

After loading the body into a white Mercedes, the two left the premises in two cars for a dam in Ruiru where they dumped the body. 

They drove to Kiamaiko in Githunguri and abandoned the Mercedes then drove back to Fourways in Mathenge’s Toyota Voxy. 

Davis Ochieng’ – Mildred Odira murder


Ochieng’ was arrested after he was found to have taken former Nation Media Group employee to the hospital. Her body was found at City  Mortuary days after she was reported missing. 

The driver told her family that he took Mildred to the health facility and left soon after.

Mildred Odira whose body was fond at City Mortuary

CCTV footage extracted from the hospital shows that Odira alighted from the taxi outside the gate after which the driver went through the gate, made a U-turn and left.

However, sleuths have not discharged the taxi driver, Davis Ochieng’, who is still in custody as they await the results from the Government Chemist to establish if the journalist was defiled before she was murdered.

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