A current court case on the murder of a former Chief Accountant of Nakumatt Holdings, James Maina Karanja, has uncovered details on the deal that led to the murder.
Witness statements allege that the prime suspect in the case, Police Constable Ezekiel Momanyi Onsongo, was given a down payment of Sh80,000 by a Nakumatt insider to execute Mr Maina.
Investigating Officer Julius Kiema told the court that Mr Maina was murdered for raising alarm over an underhand deal that was taking place within the company which may have caused the current troubles facing the retailer.
"The motive of the deceased’s death was due to the fraud investigations he was conducting at Nakumatt Holdings Ltd," officer Kiema testified.
At the time of death, Mr Maina was 27 years old and since then, more death threats have been sent to several other senior officials to ensure the fraud claims are not investigated.
"James was a young man the age mate of Gilbert and intelligent but his life is no more. Michael is a young man with a young family. I will deal with them. Mr Kimondo will follow suit. I am watching," read an email threat that was presented to the court as evidence.
Others on trial as accomplices to the murder are a former chief accountant, Phillip Manyura Maroko and boda-boda rider Dennison Mose Maroko.
Daniel Nyongo Daudi whose motorbike served as the getaway vehicle for the killers is also listed as a witness who is scheduled to testify in the murder trial.
Mr Nyongo claims to have witnessed as Phillip Manyura handed the Sh80,000 down payment to Constable Onsongo.
The slain internal auditor was gunned down a few metres from the company’s gate off Mombasa Road in 2015.
