Economy

Sleuths enlist DT Dobie, Pirelli to look into Wahome Gakuru crash

Gakuru

A breakdown tows Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru vehicle after an accident at Kabati along the Thika-Sagana highway in Murang'a County on November 7, 2017. Photo | Jeff Angote | NMG

Detectives probing the accident that claimed the life of Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru have sought assistance from motor vehicle and road agencies in the investigation.

A team of detectives from both the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Traffic Police is leading the probe and will rely on DT Dobie, tyre manufacturer Pirelli and the ministry of roads to inspect the late governor’s car and the scene of the crash.

Central Regional Police boss, Gideon Amala, in an exclusive interview with the Nation, said that all odds surrounding the fatal crash that occurred on Tuesday morning would be looked into.

“At the moment I cannot reveal details of the investigations but all angles are under being reviewed. We are not just relying on witness accounts but also findings from the inspection of the scene and the vehicle,” said Mr Amala.

Car dealer DT Dobie will conduct an inspection of the late governor’s vehicle to establish if it was faulty at the time of his trip from Nyeri. The firm will also establish when the Mercedes Benz car was last serviced.

READ: Final bow for soft-spoken Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru

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Tyre burst

The vehicle, according to a police report, was fitted with Pirelli tyres at the time of the crash. The company will therefore analyse the car's wheels to establish if there was a tyre burst during the accident.

Earlier police reports indicated that the cause of the accident was a tyre burst.

Pirelli will establish whether the burst occurred before or after the car ran into the guard rails at Kabati area.

The ministry of roads on their part will analyse the guard rails to check if they had been properly installed as well as their structural integrity.

During the accident, the car of the deceased governor crashed through and broke 11 concrete pillars supporting the rail. It then penetrated and went through the car seriously injuring the governor, his bodyguard and aide.

“The ministry will give a report on how strong the pillars were and how the rail was fitted and what velocity can break such a concrete pillar,” Mr Amala said.

Speed

Using the information, the detectives will also determine the speed at which the vehicle was moving when it crashed into the rail.

A team from the regional traffic headquarters has since Tuesday been combing the scene of the accident and wreckage of car for clues of what actually happened on the ill-fated morning.

The Nation has also established that the operation of the governor’s aides and driver is under scrutiny after it emerged he had not picked a specific driver for his official car.

It is understood that Mr Gakuru was still in the process of being orientated on daily tasks and operations around his VIP protection team.

Police boss Gideon Amala has however cautioned against conspiracy theories being circulated on social media.

“If anybody feels that they have a theory or any information regarding the accident should forward it to the police. It is insensitive to peddle the information on social media especially since the family is still mourning,” said Mr Amala.

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