Witnesses recount chilling moments that led to murder of Nakuru bar owner, waitress

Sophia Amanya, a bartender at Nax Vegas Club in Nakuru, recounted the chilling moment a policeman protested paying for alcohol before shots rang out in a shooting that left two people dead and two others injured.

The shooter, she says, was Nicholas Musyoka, a police officer attached to a local police station who has since been charged with the murder of Laura Kwasira and Ann Maina, on the night of December 12, 2023.

Two bouncers, Benjamin Kote and Abungana Edwin, sustained injuries during the incident.

Testifying before Justice Samwel Mohochi, Amanya said Musyoka had threatened to shoot Ms Maina, a waitress, when she went to ask him to clear a bill for the alcohol he had consumed.

Amanya said it was not clear how much the bill was, but Musyoka was reluctant to settle it.

“Musyoka, in the company of two ladies, joined two of his friends on their table. The two friends left at around midnight and Musyoka and one of the ladies picked a quarrel,” she testified.

Amanya said after the quarrel, the lady excused herself, never to return to the table.

“Musyoka went looking for the lady but did not find her. He returned to his seat. When Ann gave him the bill, he became agitated telling her not to ask him about it or he will shoot her. Immediately, a shaken Maina approached me, and narrated what had happened,” Amanya testified.

Amanya said Ann was scared of Musyoka after the incident, so she accompanied her to their corner and told Laura what had transpired.

After receiving the information, Laura went outside to make calls telling the two ladies that she had contacted the police.

“I went back to my working station but returned to borrow whisky from Loretta’s club. I spoke to Ann who told me that I should wait for Laura to finish with a customer who had refused to pay his bill, but promised to bring the drink after they sorted the issues,” she said.

Amanya was later to hear gunshots and when she went to find out what was happening, she found Ann lying in a pool of blood.

“Laura was also shot and was bleeding.  Next to her was Kote who was also bleeding,” she narrated the events of the fateful night.

Some of the customers were lying on the ground while one of them was talking to Musyoka, trying to calm him down.

“Musyoka was on his knees, crying and asking for forgiveness as he lifted his hands in the air in surrender. Laura was groaning in pain but Maina was lying still,” she said.

A day earlier, two club bouncers had recounted to the court the ordeal they went through on the said day.

Kote and Edwin told Justice Mohochi that they were instructed by Laura, the bar owner, to escort Musyoka out of the premises after he became unruly. Kote testified that he sought the help of Edwin, who was off duty, to escort Musyoka out of the bar.

“I went to work at around 7pm, things were fine until 1am when I was called by a waiter from Laura’s court section that Laura was asking for me,” Kote said.

Kote testified that Laura instructed her to escort a customer and gave the man his Sh700 change.

At the time, he says Laura and Ann were at the counter while the man stood by the side of the counter.

“I spoke to the man and asked to escort him to a place where he would finish his drink in peace. He was holding a glass of alcohol, he shook his head, and said sawa, okay. I felt like we were not communicating. Declining my overture, I decided to get Edwin for help,” Kote added.

He is said to have briefed Edwin about the officer, who persuaded him to leave as he followed behind.

As the man was leaving, it is said he drew a pistol which was concealed on the left side of his waist, and opened fire.

The court heard that Edwin was the first to be shot in the stomach, Kote, upon witnessing that, he was scared. Within the blink of an eye, Kote fell after he was shot in the spinal cord.

“I lost consciousness. The man went ahead to the counter and started firing at the counter where Laura and Ann were hiding, some people came as I was exiting, and the accused went on his knees.

Kote said he was later transferred to another hospital with a bullet lodged in his spine. He stayed in the hospital until January 9, 2024.

Edwin testified he accompanied Kote to Laura’s place after he sought his help to escort a customer out of the premises.