Self-confessed killer Ngira Karisa yesterday took the stand and testified how he and three other people strangled a Mombasa businessman.
Karisa was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering Isaack Kassim on March 8 last year. He was the state's witness.
He was testifying against Eddlie Mandi and Makonde Ruwa who are accused of murder.
Karisa told Judge Erick Ogola that Mandi had contracted him alongside Ruwa and his brother Karisa Katana to eliminate Kassim over a business dispute. His brother was not in court.
He said Mandi, who works in a Coast county, owed Kassim Sh9 million, which was to be a kickback on a tender deal.
However, he demanded his money when the tender deal failed and Mandi lured the businessman to Mombasa where he was to get his money back.
Karisa said they had been sent by Mandi to pick up the businessman from his residence in Nyali and ferry him to Malindi.
He said while on their journey to Malindi, Mandi joined them, took the wheel and drove at high speed.
He said Ruwa, who was in the passenger's seat, pounced, started to strangle Mandi and tie a rope around his neck.
“As Ruwa strangled him, my brother and I tied the rope on his neck and helped in squeezing his throat," he said.
Karisa added that the two accused persons threatened to kill him when he declined to take part in the "five-minute movie-like assassination" of the businessman.
The witness said after the ordeal, Mandi took the dead man's phone and took a motorbike to Malindi town.
Karisa told the court that after disposing of the body, they poured three bottles of acid it.
“We spent three hours pouring acid on his body before we wrapped the remains in black polythene and later dumped it," he said.
The hearing proceeds on May 15.
Edited by Rosemary Wamochie
