Nyeri billionaire, Stephen Wang'ondu - who was accused of hiring hitmen to murder his son - has died after he was released from detention.
His family confirmed that the 74-year-old tycoon passed away at the Outspan Hospital in Nyeri.
A family member privy to the information stated that Wang'ondu was admitted at the facility and was under treatment, a few days after he and a co-accused were released on a Ksh1 million bond.
The cause of death had not been ascertained by the time of publication. Wang'ondu's lawyer had notified the court that his client was unwell and hospitalised during bond application.
The judge while making the ruling declared that the prosecution failed to provide evidence to show why the elderly man should be detained for more days.
He was set to appear in court on May 10 for another hearing.
The deceased was arrested on February 24 after DCI detectives linked him as the main suspect in the murder of his son, Daniel Mwangi, who passed away on January 1. Detectives alleged that the father wanted to claim insurance compensation.
They accused the businessman of hiring and paying four hitmen Ksh160,000 in the assassination plot.
A few days later, it was alleged that he lodged an insurance claim over the death of Mwangi.
His son's body was found lying in a pool of blood at his home in Mweiga town. Police ruled out robbery as the killers took nothing from him.
The tycoon was further accused of being in a relationship with his murdered son's wife. Detectives linked the case to an incident in 1995 in which Wang’ondu was compensated after his other son reportedly drowned in one of his ranches.
