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Marwa intervenes in case where banker was murdered by guards

LEFT: Mr David Wokabi who died after he was beaten by security guards in Nyali Centre, Mombasa, on January 7. RIGHT: His wife Grace Wokabi being consoled by a friend.

Coast regional coordinator Nelson Marwa has ordered for the arrest of the proprietor of Solvit Security Company whose guards assaulted a banker leading to death.

Addressing journalists in Mombasa, Mr Marwa said that the owner should be held accountable for his guards who were involved in the January 7 incident.

“He has all the details of his guards and he should be arrested immediately. He should write a statement and tell us where those who fled are. He is the employer, he has all the details of where his employees come from. We cannot play musical chair with him,” said Mr Marwa.

He said that the company’s owner has been moving up and down with money attempting to influence police officers handling the case.

WAITING FOR ANSWERS

“Let those police officers be warned. If you are influenced you will face the wrath. Kenyans are waiting for answers over the death of that innocent Kenyan and we will give them,” added Mr Marwa.

According to CCTV footage seen by the Nation, David Wokabi, 35, was savagely beaten by five guards on January 7 for allegedly urinating at the parking lot.

He was leaving one of the establishments at Nyali Centre, which hosts a number of entertainment joints, banks, health centres and supermarkets.

Mr Wokabi’s family said it does not believe he was attacked for urinating in the parking lot.

To date, only two guards have been arrested. Three others, among them their supervisor, are yet to be arrested. They fled after the arrest of their colleagues.

The two were earlier charged with assault but their charges have since been amended to murder charges.

They will appear at Shanzu law court Thursday next week to answer the new charges, according to police.

CLOSE THE FIRM

Meanwhile, friends and relatives of Wokabi want the government to close the firm.

He succumbed to his injuries after spending seven days in the Intensive Care Unit at Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa.

On Friday, his family and friends demonstrated at Nyali Centre in Mombasa, condemning the guards.

“This is just one of the incidents that have come out to the media but we have heard of many horrifying cases linked to this company. For justice to be served, stern action should be taken against the company, including its being shut down,” said Mr John Njoroge, the Mombasa Kikuyu Council of Elders coordinator.

The council said it was difficult to believe the explanation that Mr Wokabi was beaten up for urinating in the parking lot.

‘SO CRUEL’

“How can human beings be so cruel? Where did they get crude weapons such as a panga to use in cutting him just because of urinating? Are those guards really human beings? Justice must be served so that this company serves as an example to others,” said the council’s chairman Kahuthu Njoroge.

They spoke at Aga Khan Hospital after collecting the body from the hospital’s mortuary in Kizingo.

The group then led a procession to the Nyali Centre to call for justice for Mr Wokabi, who is survived by a widow with two children.

The group spent 30 minutes at the centre’s entrance where Mr Wokabi was mercilessly beaten by the guards.

They then proceeded to Moi International Airport to transport the body to Nairobi.

Mr Wokabi will be buried on Monday in Makutano, Mwea in Kirinyaga County.