Three weeks after his disappearance and one week after his body was identified at Nairobi Funeral Home, the family of Derrick Omanga Tom is intensifying calls for justice, insisting that those who last interacted with him must be arrested and questioned. Derrick, a digital marketing manager and former intern at Royal Media Services, was found dead under circumstances his family describes as deeply suspicious and unresolved.
Derrick’s body was discovered near the Roysambu roundabout on December 6 at around 2 am. Earlier that night, he had been out socialising with two individuals, a woman and a man wearing a cap. CCTV footage from Wine Tails, a liquor store along Ngong Road, has now become central to the family’s demands for accountability, as it captures the final known moments before Derrick vanished.
What does the CCTV footage show?
The CCTV footage from Wine Tails along Ngong Road captures Derrick Omanga’s last moments on December 5, the day he went missing. At 10:37 pm, Derrick is seen going upstairs while holding a woman’s hand, as another man wearing a cap follows them closely. The footage shows a relaxed but visibly intoxicated Derrick moving with the pair, suggesting familiarity and trust among them.
In a second clip, Derrick is seen staggering outside the liquor store and leaning on the woman for support. He then enters the shop to retrieve a bag he appears to have left behind. Inside, he speaks to the seller, who opens the door and hands the bag to Derrick’s friend. The friend insists on checking the bag before leaving. The woman complies, and Derrick checks the contents himself, appearing satisfied that everything is intact.
During this interaction, the man in the cap is captured filling a cup with a drink and handing it to the woman. The trio then exits the premises together. This time, the man in the cap leads, followed by the woman carrying Derrick’s bag, and Derrick walking behind them, still appearing tipsy. Once again, the man in the cap is seen giving the woman a drink in a cup. These images mark the final confirmed sighting of Derrick alive.
Reports later indicated that the group proceeded to a club along Thika Road. At some point, the woman reportedly excused herself, citing illness, and went home. According to accounts shared with the family, she left Derrick in the company of the man in the cap, who had joined them earlier along Ngong Road.
This decision has raised serious concerns for Derrick’s family, particularly his father, Josephat Omanga, who questioned the judgment involved in leaving his son behind. “Inakuaje wewe mtu amekununulia vinywaji kutoka saa kumi na mbili mpaka saa nne usiku, amekulipia bill zote, alafu unaweza enda umwache na mtu hujui kama umesense danger? Kwa nini hungeenda na ule ulikuwa naye?” he said.
Why is the family rejecting the accident claim?
Three hours after the woman reportedly left, Derrick’s lifeless body was found near the Roysambu roundabout. Police officers who moved the body to Nairobi Funeral Home initially indicated that the 25-year-old was an accident victim. However, the family has strongly rejected this explanation, citing inconsistencies in timelines and findings.
Derrick’s mother, Margaret Omanga, expressed confusion and frustration over the sequence of events presented to her. “Nilikua huko tarehe tisa sikumpata. Imekuwaje tena amepatikana tarehe sita? Nimerudi huko mara tatu nikienda city na sikuwa nampata, na sikuwa naenda peke yangu,” she lamented.
A postmortem examination later revealed that Derrick died from multiple injuries caused by blunt force trauma. Crucially, the report did not clearly state whether the injuries were the result of a road accident or a deliberate human attack. This lack of clarity has fueled the family’s belief that critical steps were missed during the early stages of the investigation.
The family has now appealed to human rights bodies and legal institutions to intervene. “Human rights, LSK tusaidie tupate haki, kwa sababu ya unyonge hatupelekwi vile inastahili. Tangu mtoto apatikane, hao watu wangekuwa arrested,” Derrick’s father added.
In response to the growing public pressure, Kasarani Sub-county Criminal Investigations boss Aloyce Mboya confirmed that police have recorded statements from three friends who last interacted with Derrick. Detectives have also summoned additional individuals who were in communication with him before his death.
As the investigation continues, Derrick Omanga’s family remains firm in its demand for transparency, accountability, and justice. For them, the CCTV footage is not just a record of Derrick’s final hours, but a reminder that unanswered questions still stand between them and closure.
By Modester Nasimiyu