National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo has said the circumstances surrounding the death of Evans Kipchirchir, an intern at the Ministry, who was found dead in Machakos County was an accident.
In a statement released on Thursday, Kiptoo clarified that Kipchirchir’s death, which occurred on August 31, was a result of a road traffic accident and was not connected to his work at the National Treasury.
According to the PS, Chirchir died on the night of August 31 after being hit by a vehicle at Kyumvi in Machakos county and the driver has since been arrested.
“The Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Kyumvi has confirmed the arrest of the driver involved in the incident. A post-mortem examination is being conducted to determine the exact cause of death,” the PS said.
He said Chirchir was a Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) Cohort 6 intern who was posted to the National Treasury from February 1, 2024 and was assigned to the procurement department.
He, however, noted that as an intern, he was not involved in any decision-making processes related to tenders or procurement.
The clarification comes amid allegations that Kipchirchir had previously expressed concerns for his safety regarding a Sh286 million tender.
Through lawyers Philip Keaton and Felix Langat, the family said Chirchir’s body was discovered at the mortuary with a head injury.
The lawyers said that Mr Chirchir did not return to his home over the weekend, causing them concern. When his office colleagues enquired, they were told he had accompanied friends to Machakos.
His brother went in search of Chirchir and after failing to find him at hospitals and police stations, the family went to court and sued the Inspector General of Police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for his production.
“Before we were heard by the High Court this afternoon (September 3, 2024), we received information that the body of Chirchir has been discovered at the Machakos mortuary Level Five Hospital,” Keaton said at the Milimani High Court.
While withdrawing the application to compel the police to produce the deceased, Keaton told Justice Lawrence Mugambi that circumstances had changed and the case had taken a dramatic turn.
“We will now pursue another cause to get justice for the deceased,” he said.
Keaton appealed to the DCI and IG to pursue his killers.
He said a post-mortem examination would be carried out on September 4 to establish the cause of death, but it didn’t take place.
The National Treasury called for patience as investigative agencies continue their inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Kipchirchir’s death.
“At this difficult time, we offer our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones. We urge the public to refrain from circulating unverified and speculative information that could cause further distress to the family and harm the reputation of the National Treasury. We also call for patience as investigative agencies conduct their independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Chirchir’s death,” Kiptoo said.