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DCI denies claims that Gichugu returning officer was killed


The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismissed claims that Geoffrey Gitobu, an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) returning officer in Gichugu Constituency, Kirinyaga County, was killed.

“Currently, the police are treating the matter as a sudden death as we wait for the postmortem to take place,” said Mr Onesmus Towett the Laikipia County DCI boss said.

He added that the postmortem will take place at Cottage God Mortuary.

Nairobi News has established that the postmortem will take place on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.

Towett also warned politicians to stop spreading propaganda and rumours regarding the death of the IEBC official, saying they should wait for the police to complete their investigations.

He also revealed that already the police had shared with the family and it had emerged that the deceased did not have any underlying medical condition.

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Mr Gitobu died on Monday afternoon and his death was confirmed by Kirinyaga County IEBC boss Ms Jane Gitonga.

According to Ms Gitonga the deceased had taken a short break to go and interact with his family in Nanyuki and decided to visit the local IEBC offices.

It is at the compound of the Nanyuki IEBC offices that Mr Gitobu collapsed and was then rushed to Cottage Hospital in Nanyuki where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

“It is with profound sadness that I officially announce the sudden demise of our dear colleague and friend Mr Geoffrey Gitobu Senior Election Officer, Gichugu Constituency who collapsed and died today at 2pm,” Ms Gitonga announced to colleagues vis social media.

Nairobi News has established that a day after the election, Mr Gitobu was forced to allow the re-tallying of Kirinyaga governorship results in Gichugu constituency.

This is after Ms Wangui Ngirici, who was eyeing the governorship seat, requested for a re-count. Ms Ngirici had complained of vote-rigging in favour of her main opponent, Ms Anne Waiguru, who was eventually declared the winner.