• Neighbour who was in matatu says man slipped as he was alighting 'because matatu started moving', says crew threatened him if he said how man died.
• Police say matatu crew will be charged with perjury and causing death through dangerous driving.
A family from Mutanda village in Kitui's Mumoni subcounty is demanding justice for their relative who was run over by a matatu along Mwingi-Tseikuru road on Saturday.
Mwendwa Nguva, the father of Maluki Mwendwa, and Mwendwa's widow Ndanu Maluki, on Tuesday alleged an apparent move to cover up the 2.30am accident in which Mwendwa was killed.
“How can one explain the act by the matatu crew to carry the body of my dead son in the boot of the vehicle to report the accident at Mwingi police station about 50 kilometres away? We have Kyuso police station just 20 kilometres away,” Nguva said.
Kandwia market–where the incident occurred–is in Kyuso district and under the jurisdiction of Kyuso subcounty police.
Speaking to reporters at Mwendwa's home, Nguva questioned why the matatu crew registered the deceased as an unknown person at the Mwingi police station while he had identification documents.
“The crew also lied to the police that my son jumped to his death through the window of the moving matatu, but it also raises questions why they did not wait for the police to visit the scene as it usually happens during accidents,” he said.
A neighbour of Mwendwa, Mwema Mwendwa, who had travelled in the same vehicle, said Mwendwa fell and rolled underneath the matatu and got crushed.
“Maluki was alighting from the vehicle at Kandwia market after we arrived at our destination but the vehicle started moving before he stepped out."
Mwema also disclosed that the matatu crew issued threats on his life should he disclose how Mwendwa met his death.
Widow Maluki, 30, said the matatu crew acted dishonestly by carrying way the body to Mwingi in the boot of the vehicle after it ran him over. “All I am asking is is justice for my husband."
She said the accident was caused by carelessness on the part of the matatu crew adding that they should be made to pay for their sins. The death of Mwendwa portends doom for her future and that of their three children, Maluki added.
However, on Wednesday, Mwingi subcounty police commander Peter Mutuma said, "Police are keen to professionally handle the case and there were no underhand dealings as the bereaved suspect."
“As a matter of fact, we have established what exactly transpired and are going to charge the matatu crew. They will face a charge of perjury and another one of causing death through dangerous driving,” Mutuma said in his office.
Edited by R.Wamochie