Police are hunting down a gang of bodaboda riders who lynched a university student in Kibera slums, Nairobi.
The incident happened on Sunday, November 17 night in an altercation outside a club.
It involved the Kirinyaga University student known
as Sospeter Onyango Osungo alias Billionaire Evance Akoko. He is also popularly known
as "Sirikal".
Akoko, 23, was a fourth-year student who was pursuing
architecture.
Akoko was from Gem, Siaya County.
His mother is
heartbroken after the incident, police handling the saga said.
This was after he had been stabbed and hacked seven times in the stomach and
back of his body.
His male and female friends he was with are also nursing stab wounds after
being attacked by a mob of bodaboda riders following a disagreement, police
said.
Police said they have recorded statements from at least five witnesses
including the two friends, his mother and a friend Akoko was meeting then.
No arrest has been made but police said they are pursuing the Bodaboda riders
behind the incident to face murder charges.
He had become an overnight millionaire even as he pursued his degree.
On the day he died, he had called a longtime friend living in Kibera and told him he wanted to treat him.
The friend said Akoko arrived in an Audi Q3 and parked it outside a popular joint in
the slums.
He was with a man and a woman, witnesses said.
He then offered to buy drinks for all the revellers who were present.
In the process, they learned that a popular Ohangla musician was playing live music in a different neighbouring club in the slum.
They decided to go there.
While entering the club, a commotion ensued as a
crowd followed Akoko.
Witnesses said the confrontation involved his followers
and the bodaboda gang operating there.
The bodaboda gang felt disrespected and abused and turned violent.
Things went worse when Akoko allegedly told them he could shoot
them, a witness claimed.
This according to witnesses angered the riders who went physical and branded Akoko
a thief.
They attacked him with pangas and knives leaving him for death.
The female friend was also hacked and seriously wounded same as the other man.
Their driver escaped the scene with the car and informed police.
The car was later driven to the local police station to
serve as an exhibit in the case.
The woman and the man were rescued and taken to hospital.
Akoko was stabbed at least seven times and died on the spot.
His body was moved to the Chiromo Morgue pending autopsy
and investigations.
A hunt on the mob behind the incident is ongoing, Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said.
"Police have always discouraged mob lynching as it is criminal. A team is handling the matter with the intention of getting all those involved in the murder," he said.
The student was known for his extravagant lifestyle which he frequently showcased on platforms like TikTok and Instagram where he often posted pictures of luxury cars, nights out, parties and road trips that projected an image of wealth that many of his young followers admired.
His actual sources of income were never clearly disclosed and many are now
questioning how he managed to fund such a lavish lifestyle.
Akoko's death comes just weeks after the passing of Dennis Oduor Otieno alias
"Denno Bright" who was a fellow student at Kirinyaga University.
Denno was also recognized for his rapid rise to wealth and his extravagant
lifestyle, which included showcasing luxury cars and partying, drawing
attention from both his peers and a wider audience.
He attributed his success to Forex trading and other online ventures.
His life was tragically cut short on October 10, 2024, at the age of 25.
He was found in a Mombasa apartment after reportedly collapsing following a
heavy night out.
An autopsy revealed that he died from heart complications, with additional signs of acute pancreatitis and a depressed central nervous system, conditions often linked to excessive alcohol or substance use.
