How chilling witness accounts pinned man to fatal Free Area supermarket shooting

“I am not a thief!” These were the last words from Harun Ndiragu before he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for robbery with violence.

The court heard that on September 5 2017, at 7:15 pm Daniel Maina was hard at work at the Vision Supermarket in Free Area when he was alerted by a colleague named Teresia of an intruder who had made their way into the M-PESA section.

Daniel went to alert the watchman only to be confronted by an intruder who pointed a gun at him and he cooperated with his demands.

In his testimony to the court, Daniel said there were three assailants and one of them pulled the watchman away from the rest and shot him in cold blood.

Walter Ongudi the man who was shot was rushed to Mediheal hospital but he later lost his life.

During the hearing, Daniel Maina identified Harun Ndiragu as the man who pointed a gun at him during the robbery.

Another witness, Elizabeth Njoroge, the M-PESA operator at the Supermarket recounted how a man brandishing a gun stormed into her business premises and demanded for money.

“Due to the threat to my life and safety, I surrendered the cash float in my possession, which amounted to sh 11,521. The assailant also took my personal belongings valued at approximately sh 800,” she narrated.

And just like Daniel Maina she was able to identify Harun Ndiragu as one of the assailants.

After the robbery, the police quickly swung into action and began investigations. Intelligence reports and close surveillance led them to Harun Ndiragu. They managed to arrest him and found an AK-47 and a Ceska Pistol in his possession.

The firearms were subjected to ballistic analysis and the Firearm examiner, Lawrence Nthiwa concluded that the spent cartridge that was recovered at the scene (after the shooting of Walter Ongudi) had indeed been fired from the AK-47 rifle.

He based his findings on microscopic markings and striation patterns that, in his expert opinion, provided a positive match between the two exhibits.

While delivering his judgement, Principal Magistrate, Vincent Adet states that the prosecution has proved the offence of robbery with violence.

“The crime was committed by more than one person, while armed with dangerous weapons (firearm), and actual violence was meted out on the deceased guard. Additionally, the accused was positively identified at the scene by two witnesses and lastly the AK-47 used in the robbery was found in his recent possession,” he says.

During the delivery of the judgement the prosecution also revealed to the court that Harun Ndirangu Njoroge has a previous record and is currently serving two life sentences.