Justus Kilonzo, a 31-year-old carpenter who used to ply his trade at Gikomba market, was pushed to his death following a heated argument with an Embassava matatu conductor.
During the Sunday evening incident, Kilonzo and the unnamed conductor were embroiled in a heated exchange of words after the conductor failed to drop him off at the bus stage he had asked him to.
Reports stated that Mr Kilonzo was headed for his home in Donholm estate, Nairobi.
As tempers flared, the conductor pushed him off the speeding bus, where he, unfortunately, hit his head on the tarmac.
Mr Kilonzo’s fate was sealed as upon his fall, the bus was unable to swerve in time and ended up running over him.
The driver brought the car to a quick halt and rushed to try and get the injured passenger back on the bus in order to rush him to Mama Lucy Hospital.
However, as narrated by the late Kilonzo’s brother, Raphael Kilonzo, the rest of the passengers blocked the driver and his tout from taking the fatally injured man to Mama Lucy as they felt that it would allow them to cover up the heinous act.
“The passengers refused to allow them to rush Justus to Mama Lucy because they would conceal the case,” Raphael Kilonzo divulged to The Star.
They instead called the Red Cross ambulance service to ferry Kilonzo to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as they were better equipped to handle such serious injuries.
Having suffered what was established as a serious skull fracture, Mr Kilonzo was pronounced dead on arrival at KNH.
The deceased left behind a son and wife, with his brother in a state of confusion as what would become of them having lost their pillar.
“I don’t even know how life will be for us and who will now take care of his family,” his brother disclosed.
Buru Buru Sub-County Police Commander (SCPC), Rono Bunei, affirmed that investigations were underway.
In a similar case in 2018, the high court sentenced Roman Oduor, a matatu tout to 30 years in jail, for pushing Abdalla Yusuf from a moving bus for demanding his Ksh10 balance. Yusuf died on the spot.
