A police officer assigned to protect Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa is facing murder charges after allegedly shooting a fellow officer during a bar brawl in Ruaraka.
Ezekiel Kipkoech Tarus appeared before Justice James Wakiaga at the Milimani Court on Tuesday, where prosecutors formally charged him with the murder of Raphael Kimuli Wambua, a police officer attached to the Central Bank of Kenya.
According to prosecutors, Wambua had been drinking and watching football at Wasafi Bar on the night of February 23, 2025, alongside his brother, Erick Ngolania Wambua, a GSU officer. As they left the bar around 1:20 a.m., Tarus allegedly confronted them and opened fire, fatally shooting Wambua with his Jericho pistol, serial number 44338440.
The situation quickly spiraled, as an enraged mob attacked Tarus before officers from Ruaraka Police Station intervened. They rescued him from the crowd and rushed him to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment.
Seeking bail, Tarus’ lawyers, Danstan Omari and Shadrack Wambui, argued that he posed no flight risk and would comply with all court directives.
Initially, the prosecution had requested a 14-day detention for further investigation, but the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) opted to move forward with murder charges.
Tarus pleaded not guilty and secured release on a Ksh.500,000 cash bail, with a surety of the same amount. The court barred him from contacting witnesses and ordered him to report to the investigating officer every Thursday.
His trial is set to begin on May 20, 2025.
