There Is Enough Evidence To Convict Ouko Killers, John Troon Says

Kumekucha Exclusive

Last Tuesday was February 13th and marked the 17th anniversary of the brutal murder of the best foreign minister Kenya ever had, Dr Robert John Ouko.

Kumekucha recently managed an exclusive interview with Detective Superintend John Troon, now in quiet retirement, about this brutal murder, which Kenyans have chosen to forget. Instructively there are some questions that Troon opted not to answer. The questions were obviously a little too sensitive, especially when you consider the fact that Ouko's killers are still alive and well today and have considerable political power, means and therefore reach.



John Troon: The man ordinary Kenyans will never forget

In other words 17 years after the death of Ouko and after so many other persons have also lost their lives because of what they knew, we still have people who fear for their safety over the case. One brave woman, Marianne Briner who lives somewhere in Europe, keeps on changing her residence and taking other security precautions. But to date she has never given up the fight to have Ouko's killers brought to justice.

Troon reveals that contrary to what many Kenyans think, there is actually enough available evidence available to convict Ouko's killers. This is despite the fact that the list of would-be witnesses who have died under mysterious circumstances is just too long.


Kumekucha: Is there any other case in your entire police career that has affected you personally more than the Ouko murder enquiry?
Troon: The Ouko case was not a simple and straightforward investigation and was unique in the sense that I was also dealing with corrupt Kenyan officials in the top echelons of Government and law enforcement. There was no other case in my police career, either in UK or overseas where corrupt officials at the highest Establishment levels deliberately set out to frustrate and obstruct my investigations.


Kumekucha: Despite the fact that so many would-be witnesses in the Ouko case are now deceased, do you think (in your opinion) that there is enough evidence to convict the murderers today?
Troon: I am convinced, from what I know of the evidence thus far adduced, not only from my investigations, but subsequent Judicial and Select Committee investigations that there is sufficient evidence to justify criminal proceedings for murder, conspiracy to murder, and accessory before and after the fact (if there is such an offence under the Kenyan criminal law) against certain individuals domiciled in Kenya. I am not surprised that no decision has yet been made (as far as I am aware) by the Kenyan authorities to bring such charges particularly in the light of additional evidence both factual and circumstantial obtained by the Select Committee.

Kumekucha: If the clock was turned back and you were to commence the Ouko investigations all over again today, what would you do differently this time.
Troon: I would review the staffing of my team and exclude all Kenyan police officers from my independent investigations. It was very unfortunate that almost all of the Kenyan police officers seconded to my team were corrupt and specifically briefed to report back to my main suspects through the late Commissioner of Police, and to obstruct and frustrate my investigation by intimidating potential witnesses. There is no doubt that the murder scene was ‘set up’ knowingly by certain Kenyan police officers and Special Branch to support the Establishment conclusion of ‘suicide’. I would have insisted that all my team should have been brought from the UK to retain independence and preserve the integrity of the investigation. On reflection I would have applied to the Kenyan High Court for Judicial Orders compelling my main suspects to present themselves for interview, as you know I had powers of arrest invested in me but was forbidden to use these against my main suspects due to political intervention.

Kumekucha: What are the reasons that made you conclude that Ouko was most likely killed by executive order from the highest authority in the land at the time?
Troon: My reasons for this conclusion are fully set out in my evidence to the Select Committee, you only have to study the facts and degree of Establishment intervention.

Kumekucha: During your investigations there was a point where you took a long walk from the place where the body was found to Dr Ouko’s home while timing yourself. What were you trying to establish at this point?
Troon: I was conducting my own independent examination of the scene where the body was discovered. There was no doubt in my mind at this early stage that the scene had been tampered with and not properly screened off, I also wanted to time the distance from Dr Ouko’ residence by foot and by vehicle. In addition to disprove the Kenyan police statements that no vehicles could access the scene at the time of the murder because “there were large stones and boulders blocking the access route”(My walk proved that this was not the case).

Kumekucha: What was you initial reaction when you were confronted with the suicide theory by local authorities? Did you think that maybe this was a case of gross incompetence or did you suspect foul play immediately?
Troon: My initial and subsequent reaction was that suicide was obviously not the cause of death, the Kenyan Establishment insistence that it was suicide based on no evidence, convinced me that there must have been a cover up decision at the highest level to convince me by force that it was suicide for obvious reasons. There was incompetence by the Kenyan authorities, not only in setting up an amateurish false scene, but to continue the insistence of the suicide theory and at the same time providing me with false information as to who was responsible for the murder (i.e. Dr Ouko’s brother, girl friend etc) obvious red herrings.

Kumekucha: Any parting remarks?
Troon: Please give my kindest regards to all the friends (Yes I did have some!) that I made whilst in Kenya, they know who they are.