“I Was Just Seeking a Sex Worker, Hadn’t Paid,” Prime Suspect Claims in Kilifi Deputy Governor Kamto Murder Trial
The prime suspect in the killing of Kilifi Deputy Governor Kenneth Kamto, Julius Gitonga, refuted claims that he was involved in the robbery and murder by stating that he was at a sex worker’s house when police arrested him.
He insisted he was there based on a recommendation from a friend, and denied any connection to the crime, stating that the police falsely accused him of participating in the deadly incident.
Mr. Gitonga and his co-accused, Joseph Amwayi Mukabana, Florence Mwanza, Joseph Shoi Chege, Clementina Nerima, and Muasya Kiteme, were charged with multiple offenses, including robbery and handling stolen property after the violent incident at Mr. Kamto’s Nyali residence in December 2018.
Kamto was ambushed as he drove into his compound around 2 a.m., resulting in his tragic death.
Kiteme had already been sentenced to 15 years in prison for admitting to his role in the robbery and shooting, while Chege and Nerima were acquitted after trial. Mr. Gitonga, Mr. Mukabana, and Ms. Mwanza continue to fight the charges, with the prosecution presenting evidence that convinced the court they should face trial.
In his testimony, Mr. Gitonga told the court that he was in Meru at the time of the crime, checking on his miraa and muguka crops.
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He claimed that he only returned to Mombasa in January 2019 and was arrested shortly after.
He emphasized that he had no connection with most of his co-accused, except Ms. Mwanza, whom he admitted visiting regularly for her services.
Gitonga recounted the events leading to his arrest, claiming that upon returning to Mombasa, he went to see Ms. Mwanza and asked her to help clean his house since he could not afford to stay at a guest house.
He said they settled on a payment of Sh200, and while they were at his house, police officers in plain clothes knocked, forced their way in, and detained him at gunpoint.
According to Gitonga, he was blindfolded, handcuffed, and later taken to the police station, where he was interrogated and eventually charged.
He asserted that he did not own a gun and had no knowledge of the firearm presented in court as evidence, maintaining that he was framed and that the accusations against him were baseless.
Ms. Mwanza, while testifying, confirmed that she had a long-standing relationship with Mr. Gitonga as a client and noted that she often helped him with rent payments.
She revealed that she was with him when the police arrested them and clarified that she never saw a gun in his possession.
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Ms. Mwanza also said that Gitonga had requested her to pay his rent using her Mpesa account due to losing his identity card.
She noted that she had covered his rent on multiple occasions, although she usually refrained from doing this for other clients.
During her testimony, Ms. Mwanza stressed that she was unaware of any criminal activity and denied any connection to the firearm.
She claimed that Gitonga had refunded her rent payments and maintained that the police had unfairly implicated her in the case.
Mr. Mukabana, another co-accused, blamed his legal troubles on a family dispute with his brother-in-law, accusing him of falsely implicating him out of spite.
Mukabana denied any involvement in the robbery or murder, insisting he was in Kakamega at the time of the incident and had no ties to Mombasa other than occasional visits.
Gitonga and Mukabana both face charges related to the killing of Kamto, including the theft of three mobile phones worth Sh28,000.
Meanwhile, Mwanza is accused alongside Gitonga of retaining the stolen phones and being found with a pistol loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition.
As the case unfolds, the accused continue to maintain their innocence, urging the court to dismiss what they claim are unfounded allegations driven by a rush to solve a high-profile crime.
“I Was Just Seeking a Sex Worker, Hadn’t Paid,” Prime Suspect Claims in Kilifi Deputy Governor Kamto Murder Trial
