A former Tigania chief in Meru coincidentally met a businessman wanted by the police for allegedly stabbing a man to death.
Julius Kang’ote was taking some friends to a graduation ceremony at Kenya Methodist University when he found some young people stranded after their car failed to start.
The retired Muthara chief stopped to help them jump-start the car and thereafter saw a man "looking confused" standing alone several metres away. His head was covered with a polythene paper.
"As I jump-started their car, I saw a confused man standing alone. I recognised him as the man the police had been looking for."
The 34-year-old Joshua Kileru had been on the run for 13 days after he allegedly killed Mutembei Mwongera and injured five other people at Muriri market in Tigania East on September 30.
Kang’ote approached the man who also recognised him as he had been the Muthara chief for 24 years.
He asked Kileru whether he was aware of what happened on the fateful. The suspect said he was trying to find his way home and that he was aware that the police were looking for him. But he did not know why they wanted him.
“He was avoiding people. He was not in right his senses. He told me he feared that angry people might kill him but I assured him that no one will attack him. I explained to him the importance of surrendering,” the chief said.
Kang’ote said the suspect could not tell where he had been staying since the incident. “He was thirsty and I offered him some milk I had in my car.”
It was after the retired chief's reassurance that Kileru, who has two shops at Muriri market, agreed to be escorted to Nchiru Police Station where he surrendered to the relief to residents of Muriri market.
