This archive report was first published on 27 December 2019.
On December 2, 2019, Ugunja Deputy OCS Sabina Kerubo was arraigned at the Siaya Law Courts in connection with the brutal murder of Star Newspaper journalist Erick Oloo.
Months later, journalist Dickens Wasonga, who had been reporting on the case, filed a report at Bondo Police Station accusing Ms. Kerubo of threatening his life.
According to Wasonga, the Deputy OCS called him, claiming that he damaged her reputation with the stories he had been publishing since Oloo was found murdered in her house.
In a recorded phone conversation shared with the police, the caller – believed to be Ms. Kerubo – is heard warning the receiver – believed to be the journalist – that he painted her in a bad light and that he would face unspecified consequences.
Ms. Kerubo is heard saying, 'You gave the wrong perception to the public…it was a one-sided story…let me tell you Dickens, whatever you did to me, you will pay for it…' and 'You damaged my reputation…did I kill that journalist? That was the first impression you gave to people…useless…umbwa kabisa hii…'
Wasonga explained to the officer that he wrote his stories based on police reports, but Ms. Kerubo heard none of it.
Bondo sub-county Police Commander Anthony Wafula confirmed that the journalist indeed recorded a statement with them.
Erick Oloo was found dead inside the house of the Ugunja Deputy OCS on November 21, 2019, in what was suspected to be a love triangle murder.
