A prominent Kitui businessman, Mr David Ngii Kuvungwa, also known as Shabiki, was brutally murdered in his hardware shop on Saturday night in what police believe was a robbery mission.
According to police reports from Kabati Police Station, Kuvungwa, 49, was confronted by four unknown assailants as he closed his business for the day. The attackers tied his employees and children with sisal ropes and threatened them with what appeared to be a firearm while demanding money.
Despite searching the office, the suspects initially found no cash. They then forced Mr Kuvungwa to lead them to his residence, where they located and took the money, leaving his family tied and terrorised.
Calls to Mr Kuvungwa’s phone went unanswered, prompting a search that led police to discover his body approximately ten metres from his hardware office. He had suffered fatal injuries to the right side of his head inflicted by a sharp object. The murder weapon has not yet been recovered.
Police officers from the nearby Kabati Police Station arrived at the scene shortly after eleven o’clock in the evening and found the body still tied with ropes. The scene was documented, and Mr Kuvungwa’s body was taken to Tribute Services and Funeral Home for preservation pending a postmortem examination.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations Kitui West is investigating the case, which has been classified as a robbery with violence resulting in murder. No arrests have been made, and authorities are appealing to anyone with information to come forward to assist with the investigation.
Local residents expressed shock at the violent crime, highlighting growing concerns over security in the area. The incident has left a deep sense of fear in the community, with calls for increased protection for businesses and families against armed robbery and violent criminal activity.
The death of Mr Kuvungwa marks the latest in a series of violent robberies targeting business owners in Kitui County, prompting authorities to intensify patrols and preventive measures in the region.
