A 30-year-old father of three, Antony Otieno, was found murdered at Meridian Apartments in South B, Nairobi, in what detectives believe was a planned attack disguised as an online phone delivery. Antony’s body was discovered hidden under a bed, with his hands and legs tied and a scarf forced into his mouth. What began as a routine delivery for a brand-new iPhone 17 Pro Max turned into a fatal trap that shocked both his family and the delivery community.
Antony left a shop in town at around 10:30 a.m. to deliver the device to Meridian Apartments. The order had been placed through WhatsApp by a man who claimed to be in Eldoret and used the number 0108577041. He told Antony that his brother, Hillary, would receive the package at the apartment, which had been booked as a temporary stay. Payment was to be made upon confirming the phone, a common arrangement in daily deliveries. That message was the last contact Antony had with anyone.
What Details Have Investigators Uncovered So Far?
Hours later, Antony’s body was found in house no. 14 on the fourth floor, not the fifth-floor unit he had initially been directed to. His hands and legs were tied with rope, and a leso had been wrapped tightly around his mouth. An autopsy revealed that he died from blunt force trauma to the head, and a pool of blood surrounded him. Detectives recovered a knife, a metal rod believed to be the weapon, and the same iPhone 17 Pro Max that Antony had left to deliver. His motorcycle, registration KMFH 161S, remained parked outside.
The apartment had been paid for just hours earlier by two unidentified men who handed over Ksh. 2,500 in cash. Airbnb host Charity Muthoni Michoki said she received a message at around 9:30 a.m. stating that the bill would be settled later in the evening. When she went to check on the room, one of the men told her to wait. She eventually entered with the help of neighbors and found blood on the floor and the bedroom door locked. Inside, she discovered Antony’s body.
How Are Authorities Tracing the Suspects Behind the Murder?
Police have sent the phone numbers 0108577041 and 0783041879 to Safaricom for identity verification as part of the investigation. Detectives believe the suspects planned the killing by using a high-value phone order as bait, ensuring Antony walked into the apartment alone.
As Antony’s family grieves the loss of a husband, father, and dedicated worker, police are urging anyone with information to come forward. The search for the killers continues, and investigators hope tracing the numbers and analyzing movement around the apartment will lead them closer to those responsible.
By Lucky Anyanje