A witness to the murder of former Kilifi Deputy Governor Kenneth Kamto on Monday, August 16, testified how he and his accomplices planned and staged the execution of the fallen politician.
Kiteme alias Mwaa shed light on the events that occurred leading to the brutal murder on December 12, 2018.
The then deputy governor's home in Nyali was raided by three thugs who shot and left for dead.
Kiteme, who is now a prosecution witness, revealed that the raid had been planned prior to December 10th 2018, and was executed two days later.
“On December 10, I got a call from a friend, at 10:00 am for a meeting at the Sosiani area in Kongowea, Mombasa. He came with another friend called Julius. After the introductions, Julius said there was a job that needed my input later in the evening,” he recalled.
“It was about a burglary. We planned how to break into a home in Nyali. After going through the details, we agreed to meet at 7:00 pm. Waingo and I left for his residence to wait for nightfall. When we linked up, Gitonga had two metal bars. But there was a problem. We called it off and planned for another day,” added Kiteme.
The next day, the trio connected. Waingo rented a motorcycle, which Kiteme, Gitonga and another suspect rode. The four met at Nyali area, with a new goal.
“We spent some time around the house until 1:00 am. A few minutes later, we jumped over the fence into the compound. I realized that Gitonga had a pistol. He overpowered the guard and tied his hands with a sisal rope, but we failed because of the security alarms,” Kiteme stated.
“As we were leaving, we saw Kamto parking his car. His home was close to our first target. We scaled the wall and took up positions inside his compound. He was on a call as he left his car,” he narrated.
Court records show that the slain deputy governor spent about 10 minutes on the telephone outside his home. As he walked toward the house by the back door, he saw the unwanted guests after which a confrontation ensued.
"We attacked him and ransacked the house. At this time, he had already been shot,” confessed Kiteme.
After the incident, Kiteme fled to Mwingi but was captured and taken into custody three months later. He is currently serving a 15-year prison term after agreeing to a plea deal with the state.
He agreed to turn into a state witness in exchange for a lesser sentence.
“A person lost his life during the incident. No amount of punishment can bring back the life of the deceased. I appreciate the fact that the accused person entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution."
“Having considered all the relevant factors and noting that the accused did not play an active role in causing the death of the deceased, I hereby sentence him to 15 years imprisonment,” Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Yussuf Shikanda ruled in Kiteme's case.
