The prime suspect in the shooting at Nairobi’s Mirema Drive incident surrendered to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday a week after detectives launched a manhunt against him.
Dennis Gachoki Karani while on an interview with the Nation at the DCI headquarters, claimed innocence saying he is being framed for the murder of Samuel Mugota.
Mr Karani said that he learnt the DCI was looking for him when he was in Nakuru where he claims he runs a cereal business.
‘I was in Nakuru when I learnt that I had been declared as the most dangerous and armed criminal by the DCI… Someone recognized me and told me that police were looking for me. Since then my life has been hell. I have not known peace,’’ Mr Kanari told Nation on Monday morning.
Mr Karani admits he knew the victim after having met him back in 2018 when they attended a wedding of a mutual friend in Meru; they later met along Kenyatta road in Kiambu when the deceased was at a car wash and have not been in contact or done any business with the deceased.
‘I knew him but I had never had his contact. I got to know him in 2018 during a wedding ceremony in Meru. A friend of mine introduced me to Mugota. After the wedding, we used the same vehicle back to Nairobi. We never exchanged contacts. At the time of his murder, I was in Nakuru when I heard that he has been killed. I learnt about his death through the media.’’ Mr Karani said.
He also confirmed that he has a fraud-related case in court in which he is accused of receiving money believed to have been acquired through fraud.
Hours after the murder, forensic cyber detectives were able to use Gachoki’s phone to triangulate his position to Burnt Forest in Uasin Gishu but the trail went cold with sleuths of the opinion that the suspect successfully fled to a neighbouring country.
According to the DCI, the efforts by detectives to arrest him had been futile since the thug is believed to be well loaded and influences rogue cops who tip him off once an operation for his arrest had been launched.
DCI investigations have revealed that Gachoki and the deceased fell out before the former’s death over the sharing of proceeds from the ‘Pishori’ trade and some of the women recruited to drug unsuspecting targets in the syndicate.
“This among other beef is suspected to have led to a bitter fallout leading to Monday’s daylight murder of Samuel Mugoh Muvota, who has left behind seven grieving widows and countless children,” said the DCI.
