He was obedient and bright, says priest

He lived a flamboyant and flashy lifestyle and had everything that made his friends and fellow students jealous.

At just 22, Amos Mutuma lived in a three-bedroomed house and drove a Sh3.5 million car and had everything that exists only in the dreams of his age mates.

His mother, who was a single parent, died just before the 2007 General Election.

Mutuma is one of the two cousins killed at Mwalimu Falls in Ruai, Nairobi. Relatives allege that he is the son of a Catholic priest in Maua, Meru.

The two were in the company of another cousin who was also shot but survived and is recuperating at a hospital in Nairobi.

Relatives and friends told the Nation, Mutuma who had just completed his aviation studies was an IT student at the University of Nairobi.

The relatives alleged that the priest, who was well known to his alleged son, had been influential in his life. He paid his fees, rent and even bought him a car.

According to the priest, however, Mutuma was not his biological son, but he adopted him before his mother died.

“The mother lived in Maua. She was a servant in one of our charity organisations called Mama Scondina,” he said.

The priest said he was not related to the family and that he never adopted other children apart from Mutuma.

“He was very bright and promising. He was well-mannered and so I bought him everything he needed.

“I had initially bought a car for him, but he said that it developed mechanical problems and so I bought him the one he had, just three months ago” the priest said.

He denied that Mutuma could have been involved in unscrupulous businesses.

“I know him well. I paid for everything he needed. He was obedient. I do not know of any feuds that could have led to his death,” the priest said.

Mutuma died with his cousin, Harrison Murithi, 19, who had just cleared his Form Four examinations.

The cousin who survived, Nelson Mwiti, is a law student at the Africa Nazarene University.

Police investigating the killings said another cousin had been kidnapped in Mwiki on Wednesday evening.

On that fateful day, the three cousins were at an aunt’s house in Mwiki where they were having a party to celebrate her marriage.

WERE CARJACKED

Police reports indicate that at noon the three left in Mutuma’s car, a Suzuki KBJ 270W, and went to the shopping centre to buy drinks and were carjacked.

The cousins are said to have arrived at the falls with three other people in the car and stayed for two hours before two other people arrived at the scene and shot the cousins.

The killers left in Mutuma’s car, which was later found in flames near an AP post.

The car was towed to Ruai Police Station. There was a black bag and two petrol jerry cans inside.

A witness, Mr Ben Wafula, said the car arrived at the falls with six men at 2pm.

“The men seemed happy and were talking as if they were friends or relatives. Four men entered an abandoned structure adjacent to the falls and one climbed on top and kept speaking on the phone.

“Then a motorcycle arrived with two other men and the cyclist left. The four men in the abandoned posho mill joined the new arrivals.

“The six went towards the river. The one who was sitting on top of the structure followed them. In less than five minutes, there were three gunshots and screams,” said Mr Wafula.