- Ballistics expert Superintendent Alex Chirchir testified that the bullets recovered from the deceased’s body were fired from the same Glock pistol found in Gitonga’s possession. “This evidence ties the first accused to the murder and robbery committed on the material night,” stated Magistrate Shikanda
A sex worker has been acquitted in the murder case of former Kilifi Deputy Governor Kenneth Kamto, while two of her co-accused have been found guilty. Senior Principal Magistrate Yusuf Shikanda ruled to release Florence Mbithe Mwanzia, citing the prosecution’s failure to provide evidence linking her to Kamto’s killing on December 12, 2018.
Two of her former co-accused, Julius Gitonga and Joseph Amwayi Mukabana, were found guilty of robbery with violence and other related charges. In a ruling delivered at the Shanzu Law Courts, Magistrate Shikanda stated, “The prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against the third accused person.”
Mwanzia was cleared of charges related to the possession of a firearm and handling of stolen items, including the mobile phones of the deceased. Mwanzia had testified that she was at Gitonga’s house in her capacity as a sex worker when detectives raided the premises and arrested her. The court found her testimony credible and determined that she was unaware of the presence of a firearm or any stolen items in the house. “The third accused person informed the court that she was with the first accused as a client when the raid occurred. She was not connected to the firearm nor aware of its presence,” the magistrate ruled.
Gitonga and Mukabana were found guilty of robbery with violence under Section 296(2) of the Penal Code. They were also implicated in possessing a firearm and ammunition without valid certification. The firearm, identified as a Glock pistol, was proven through ballistic analysis to have been used in the fatal shooting of Kamto on December 12, 2018.
Magistrate Shikanda noted, “There is sufficient evidence to prove the first accused was in possession of the Glock pistol and ammunition. The ballistic expert confirmed that bullets retrieved from the deceased’s body matched those fired from the recovered firearm.” The two convicts will remain in custody at Shimo La Tewa Prison, with sentencing scheduled for January 28, 2025.
Testimonies from prosecution witnesses painted a chilling picture of the events leading to Kamto’s murder. CCTV footage showed intruders disposing of spent cartridges in bushes near the crime scene. Detectives recovered a Glock pistol, ammunition, and other evidence during a raid at Gitonga’s residence in Mombasa’s Kwa Bullo area.
Ballistics expert Superintendent Alex Chirchir testified that the bullets recovered from the deceased’s body were fired from the same Glock pistol found in Gitonga’s possession. “This evidence ties the first accused to the murder and robbery committed on the material night,” stated Magistrate Shikanda.
Kamto was killed by gunshot wounds, with the court confirming that bullet fragments retrieved from his body matched the ammunition used by the perpetrators. The incident has raised serious concerns about security and the illegal circulation of firearms. This high-profile case has gripped the nation, and all eyes are now on the sentencing, which will determine their fate in one of the most shocking political murders in Kenya’s recent history.
