Titus Ngamau, famously known as Katitu, the controversial former police officer involved in the 2013 killing of a man in Githurai, has been released from Kamiti Maximum Prison after serving approximately six years of his 12-year sentence.
On Friday, prison authorities handed Katitu over to his probation officer, where he will serve the remaining three years of his sentence outside the prison walls.
The release follows a protracted legal battle, with Katitu’s conviction upheld by the Court of Appeal on April 28, 2020. Katitu was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison for the misuse of a firearm, after he shot and killed Kenneth Kimani, a 27-year-old football player, on March 14, 2013. Katitu claimed that Kimani was a wanted criminal, a defense the courts found lacking in merit.
According to George Diang’a, the officer in charge at Kamiti, Katitu was due for his normal release on Friday and was transferred to the probation officer at Milimani Law Courts to begin his probationary period.
The Incident and Trial
Katitu’s conviction stemmed from an incident that shocked the Githurai community. Kimani, a member of the Mathare Football Club, was shot dead at the Githurai roundabout, with a bullet fired from Katitu’s gun, according to forensic evidence.
Despite Katitu’s claims of self-defense and that he was responding to a mobile phone theft, the court found his actions unjustified.
A total of five shots were fired at the scene, but only one spent cartridge, lodged in Kimani’s body, was recovered—raising questions about the handling of evidence and the integrity of the investigation.
The case highlighted the disturbing phenomenon of the “blue code of silence,” an unwritten rule among police officers not to provide incriminating information about their colleagues.
Appeals Court judges William Ouko, Fatuma Sichale, and Sankale Ole Kantai noted that there was an active attempt to cover up the circumstances surrounding Kimani’s death, with evidence being mishandled and the crime scene not properly secured.
The judges acknowledged that, in some cases, police officers had deliberately manipulated and suppressed evidence to protect one of their own, as evidenced in Katitu’s case.
The officers who were with him on the day of the shooting, identified as George Amori and Amemba, were notably absent from the list of witnesses in the trial, further fueling suspicions of a cover-up.
A Divisive Figure in Githurai
Despite the severity of his crime, Katitu became a hero to many in the Githurai area. Widely praised for his alleged efforts to combat crime in the area, he was seen by some as a protector of the community, even as he operated outside the bounds of the law.
He was also a well-known benga musician and the lead guitarist of the popular Kithangaini Lipua Lipua band.
His music, combined with his reputation as a crimefighter, made him a beloved figure among many Eastlands residents, who rallied behind him during his arrest.
In 2013, after his arrest, Githurai residents organized protests, fundraising concerts, and even garnered support from former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who personally paid Katitu’s bond to secure his release on bail.
The Aftermath and Continuing Tragedy
The tragedy surrounding Kimani’s death is compounded by the subsequent killing of his brother, Oscar Muchoki Mwangi, by police almost a year later. T
heir mother, Purity Wanjiku Mwangi, was reportedly threatened and subsequently moved to Norway, where she now resides.
Despite his claims of being framed, Katitu was found guilty of the unlawful killing, and the court highlighted that his actions were reckless and without justification.
An officer from the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) testified that the firearms register had been manipulated to cover up the truth of the shooting.
Katitu’s case remains a symbol of the challenges facing law enforcement in Kenya and the wider issue of police corruption, cover-ups, and the “blue code of silence,” which continues to plague many police forces worldwide.
Background
Titus Ngamau, born in 1973 in Kathingani, Machakos County, was a police officer with the Kenya Police Service before his arrest in 2013.
He attended Kathingani Primary School and Masii Boys High School, where he completed his final exams in 1997. His rise to notoriety as Katitu was fueled by his dual identity as both a police officer and a musician, which helped him garner support from his community.
Conclusion
While Katitu is now a free man, the scars of his actions, the cover-up by his colleagues, and the loss of Kenneth Kimani continue to linger in the minds of many. The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of abuse of power within law enforcement, and the ongoing need for reform and accountability in the police service.
About the Author
