Police intensify search after 4 men go Missing in Kitengela

Police in Kitengela, Kajiado county, are looking for four men who went missing on April 19.

The four are identified as Elijah Obuong, 35, Benjamin Amache Imbai, 30, Brian Oduor, 36 and Jack Ochieng, 37.

The families of the men said there were callers claiming a body had been spotted in Emali. Police are investigating.

The missing men are said to have arrived at a local club and ordered drinks. They were seen leaving the joint at about 3pm.

According to those who saw them, they left towards the parking lot where their white Toyota Mark X was.

It is not clear where they went. They did not leave in their car and cannot be reached on the phone. Their families have reported the disappearance to the police.

Police have visited the club and found the men’s vehicle still in the parking lot.

On Thursday, April 22, a post asking Kenyans to help authorities and family find the four was shared on The Nairobi Crime-Free Society Facebook page.

The site usually shares crime matters in Nairobi.

Isinya subcounty police commander Anderson Njagi said a probe into the disappearance of the four has been escalated to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters. “We don’t have so much to reveal about the men yet,” he said.

According to family members, the four are known to be good friends. The met frequently.

Monica Wanjiru Mugo, the wife of Ochieng, said her husband left their home in Donholm 7am and said he was going to meet his friend Oduor in town.

She said she tried to reach her husband later in the day, but he said he would call her back. “It is unusual for my husband to spend the night out without notifying me. He did not come back and his phone was off the entire night.”

“I was shocked when Elly’s relative called inquiring about his whereabouts as they were last seen with my husband. I went to report the matter at Buruburu police station, but I was advised that I can only report the matter after 48 hours,” Wanjiru said.

She said her missing husband was working with a tour company before he was sacked in the Covid-19 pandemic turmoil.

He then started using his personal vehicle for car hire but was repossessed over an outstanding loan, she said.

Catherine Atieno, the wife of Oduor said her husband left their Embakasi home in the company of Ochieng and Benjamin at 8am on the fateful day.

Atieno said Oduor was to come back in the afternoon to take her for a clinic review but by his phone was off.

“I am so worried because a year ago my husband’s best friend went missing alongside his other two friends. To date they have never been traced,” Atieno said.

She said her husband was engaged in selling car spare parts and car hire businesses. They have lived together for three years with two children.

Obuong is a father of one and lives in Kayole area. His mother Caroline said she spoke to him last Sunday but on Tuesday she received a message on social media that he could be in danger and that prompted her to report to police.

Amache’s brother Elvis Imbai said his brother had notified him that he was scheduled to meet his brother the day he went missing. In the evening, he was unreachable on the phone.

He said his brother had notified him of his whereabouts in Kitengela and when he saw pictures circulating on social media, he positively identified his brother.

Imbai reported the matter to Kitengela police station.

He said his brother, a father of one, had a car hire business. He lived at Everest estate in Athi River.