Joginder Singh Sokhi in particular, was dreaded amongst Kenya's Asians in those times. In the Nairobi of those times, it was common to find groups of Asians on different corners of Nairobi's streets chatting, and certain times a group of Asians chatting would suddenly disperse and flee in fear in different directions i.e. "every man for himself," as if they had just seen a herd of elephants approaching. What it was is that they had seen Joginder Singh Sokhi approaching. Many Kenyans speak of the Daniel T. arap Moi years in Kenya and how they were "a reign of terror." Well the Jomo Kenyatta years in Kenya were probably a worse "reign of terror" than the Daniel T. arap Moi years.
And then in both the Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel T. arap Moi years in Kenya, there were quite a number of scams like coffee smuggling and smuggling of precious stones, and quite a number of Asians, Blacks and Whites were involved.
Joginder Singh Sokhi would target the Asians suspected of involvement in these scams, and what Joginder Singh Sokhi would sometimes do is dress up like a civilian, like a "street hustler," and then visit the Nairobi cinema halls of those times i.e. long before the advent of Video Cassette Recorders (VCRs), Digital Video Discs (DVDs), the internet, YouTube and Netflix. There were quite a number of cinema halls in Nairobi in those days i.e. what were regarded the downtown cinema halls like Odeon Cinema Hall, Embassy Cinema Hall, ABC Cinema Hall, Cameo Cinema Hall, and Shah Cinema Hall, and what were regarded the uptown cinema halls like 20th Century Cinema Hall, Liberty Cinema Hall, Nairobi Cinema Hall, Metropole Cinema Hall and Kenya Cinema Hall.
Many Kenyan Asians preferred the downtown cinema halls and what Joginder Sokhi Singh would sometimes do, dressed like a "street hustler," is track some of his "suspects" to the downtown cinema halls. It could be real drama e.g. in the middle of a movie, there would be a sudden commotion, and when the lights came on, you would note Joginder Singh Sokhi leaving the cinema hall as he tightly gripped the hands of one or two Asians.
That was Joginder Singh Sokhi for you. Joginder Singh Sokhi loved Joginder Singh Sokhi, and given a second chance, Joginder Singh Sokhi would still have chosen to be Joginder Singh Sokhi. He loved the image he had cut for himself in the Kenya of those times.
Enter Patrick David Shaw, still the most dreaded Kenya Police Reservist in Kenyan History so far. Patrick David Shaw was like Joginder Singh Sokhi in the sense that Patrick David Shaw loved Patrick David Shaw, and given a second chance, Patrick David Shaw would still have chosen to be Patrick David Shaw.
Kenya's Asians dreaded Joginder Singh Sokhi, Kenya's Blacks, including this writer, dreaded Patrick David Shaw.
Shaw had three trademark vehicles in those times i.e. a White Volvo model of the 1970s, exactly the same model but blue in colour, and a White 1980s model Mercedes. Many Kenyans of those times were familiar with Shaw's motor vehicles i.e. they stood out, and where they were spotted, that area was studiously avoided, lest Shaw was on the trail of "suspects," and lest there was suddenly an exchange of gunfire, and you found yourself caught in the middle of that gunfire.
Shaw hardly slept i.e. he was like a 24 hour guy e.g. his vehicle, at least one of the three of those times, could be spotted at a downtown Nairobi location at 3.00 a.m. in the morning, three hours later i.e. 6.00 a.m., it could be spotted somewhere much further off like Ngong, in Northern Nairobi, and then about two hours later i.e. 8.00 a.m. it could be spotted at the very opposite end of Ngong e.g. Embakasi. Shaw was an "omnipresent" kind of guy.
Both Joginder Singh Sokhi and Patrick David Shaw were implicated in the murder in 1975 of flamboyant Kenyan politician Josiah Mwangi Kariuki i.e. J.M. Kariuki.
J.M. Kariuki was last seen alive leaving Nairobi's Hilton Hotel in the company of then General Service Unit (GSU) Commandant Ben Gethi, on Sunday evening, 2nd March 1975. Very soon before this, both Joginder Singh Sokhi and Patrick David Shaw were seen outside Hilton Hotel. J.M. Kariuki's abduction and murder were like a military operation e.g. soon before J.M. Kariuki left Hilton Hotel in the company of Ben Gethi, Kenya Police Officers under the supervision of Patrick David Shaw, cleared the streets surrounding Hilton Hotel of all Human traffic.
J.M. Kariuki was first taken to then Headquarters of the Directorate of Security Intelligence (DSI) i.e. the then "Special Branch" Headquarters i.e. Kingsway House, off University Way, Nairobi, where he was "interrogated," before being taken to the foot of the Ngong Hills where he was shot dead.
Both Joginder Singh Sokhi and Patrick David Shaw were present at Kingsway House when J.M. Kariuki was being "interrogated." Ben Gethi was also present. Also present was Inspector Arthur Wanyoike Thungu of President Jomo Kenyatta's Presidential Security Detail.
Inspector Arthur Wanyoike Thungu had a passionate dislike for J.M. Kariuki and at a certain point during the "interrogation" of J.M. Kariuki, Inspector Thungu asked J.M. Kariuki why he i.e. J.M. Kariuki, was undermining the Government of President Jomo Kenyatta, and J.M. Kariuki responded rudely i.e. something on the lines of "Go F yourself." Inspector Thungu punched J.M. Kariuki so hard in the face, immediately knocking out two of J.M. Kariuki's teeth. J.M. Kariuki's autopsy report indeed indicated that two of his teeth were missing.
Patrick David Shaw died in mysterious circumstances in February 1988. It is said that Patrick David Shaw was executed because he had refused to go and "shot dead" then Kenyan Vice President Mwai Kibaki, which passes as unbelievable i.e. Mwai Kibaki yes, was dropped as Kenyan Vice President the following month i.e. March 1988 i.e. after the Kenyan General Elections of March 1988, but Mwai Kibaki is still alive and kicking 32 years after February and March 1988, and 7 years after he exited the Kenyan Presidency.
Joginder Singh Sokhi passed away in 2018.
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