Four individuals have been convicted of murdering former Kabete MP George Muchai, his two bodyguards, and a driver in a 2015 incident in Nairobi, Kenya. The convictions were handed down by Milimani High Court Justice Kanyi Kimondo, who found Erick Munyera Isabwa, Raphael Kimani Gacii, Mustafa Kimani Anyonyi, and Stephen Asitiva Lipapo guilty on four counts of murder. The prosecution had presented a case that proved beyond reasonable doubt that the four accused were responsible for the crime.
The murders took place on February 7, 2015, along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi. The victims included Muchai, his bodyguards PC Samuel Kimathi Kailikia and PC Samuel Lekakeny Matanta, and driver PC Stephen Ituu Wambugu. According to the court, the four were killed in the early hours of the morning. The prosecution presented testimony from 37 witnesses, including a newspaper vendor who had been a regular customer to Muchai.
The court heard that Muchai had stopped to buy newspapers at around 3:40 am on the day of the murder. As he was about to receive his newspapers, another vehicle blocked his car, and a masked individual emerged from the co-driver's side, firing a G3 rifle. Witnesses described the chaotic scene, with multiple gunshots fired.
Key witnesses included Muchai's wife, Susan Nyawira Muchai, and her sister, Judy Wanjiku Ngige, who were traveling ahead of Muchai's vehicle. They reported stopping after noticing Muchai's car had stopped and hearing gunshots. Upon approaching the scene, they found the four occupants of Muchai's vehicle shot, with the windows shattered.
The investigation revealed that a Nissan Sunny had been carjacked on February 6, 2015, along Waiyaki Way. The vehicle was later used to block Muchai's car during the murder. Other witnesses testified about being carjacked, blindfolded, and forced into the trunk of their vehicle.
Forensic evidence, including ballistics and CCTV footage, was also presented in court. A ballistics examiner and a CCTV analyst testified, producing footage that captured 35 number plates near the scene of the crime. Autopsy reports confirmed that the victims died from gunshot wounds caused by a high-velocity firearm fired at close range.
The court found that the four accused individuals acted with a common purpose in committing the murders. Justice Kimondo has ordered that their previous records be obtained and directed the Probation Department to prepare pre-sentence reports and Victim Impact Statements. The court will hear sentencing submissions on December 16, 2026. The four are already serving death sentences for a separate robbery with violence case.
Key points
- The four individuals convicted are already serving death sentences at Kamiti Maximum Prison for a separate robbery with violence case.
- A total of 37 witnesses testified in the case, including family members of the victims and forensic experts.
- The court heard that the victims died from gunshot wounds caused by a high-velocity firearm fired at close range.
