Hype Ballo and a spinning turn of events

Hype Ballo, the man in the dock over the death of a Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer, is known for his love of football and music.

Real name Allan Ochieng, Hype Ballo is always the voice of the party and a big Arsenal fan.

It is from his love of football game and shared similarities with former Inter Milan and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli that he got the nickname Ballo.

He started as a dancer, but due to his hype and emceeing capabilities in came the name Hype Ballo, which rang familiar with his fans whenever he held the mic.

He went on to work for DJ Sadic’s Genius Entertainment among other DJs before he eventually joined Joseph Mwenda Munoru alias DJ Joe Mfalme.

Now Ballo is set to be tried for the murder of a DCI officer Felix Kelian Kintosi.

Over the last few days, after the news went public, social media has been awash with videos and photos of Hype Ballo doing what he knows best.

When the news broke out that a DJ and his crew had been arrested in connection with the death of a DCI officer, speculations were rife on who it might have been.

It would later turn out that DJ Joe Mfalme was the DJ in question and his crew members Eric Kariuki Gathua, Simon Wambugu Wanjiru and Hype Ballo.

Also arrested in connection with the murder were Khadija Abdi Wako, Sammy Cheruiyot Rotich and Agnes Kerubo Mogoiare, all police officers attached to Kikuyu Police Station.

In the police report and media reports as well, Ballo was described as Mfalme’s bouncer. Some have disputed his description as a bouncer.

The incident

It was claimed that Kintosi’s car scratched Mfalme’s car as he drove out of parking, and a scuffle between the officer and the four men ensued.

Allegations are that he was beaten up and arrested by the officers from the Kikuyu Police Station, where it is also claimed that he was assaulted further.

It alleged that DJ Mfalme and his crew had accompanied the officers to the station where they left without recording statements and Kintosi who was complaining of abdominal pain was freed the next day.

He was complaining of abdominal pains, he was also allegedly passing blood and complained of pain in his genital area.

He was taken to a Lang’ata hospital before being referred to the Nairobi West Hospital where he died while receiving treatment.

It, however, took the DCI six days until Kintosi died before arresting the seven in connection with the death.

They would be arrested after a performance along a Thika road club and were arraigned in court.

Following an application by Fredrick Kosen for more time to conclude investigations into the matter, they were remanded for 14 days.

Ballo was held at the Kabete Police Station while the rest were detained at the Muthangari and Riruta.

On Monday this week, Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Igonga applied to charge Ballo with the murder and turn the other six accused into state witnesses.

Kibera Magistrate Margaret Murage directed that Ballo be detained at the Kiambu Police Station.

The controversy

The saga surrounding Kintosi’s death became apparent after his family disputed the post-mortem results that showed an underlying pancreatic complication caused his death.

A second post-mortem also arrived at the same conclusion but noted that he had a minor injury around his private parts.

After Mfalme and the others were freed, the family decried that they may not get justice for their kin.

According to the family spokesperson shortly Kintosi said that during his altercation with Mfalme and his crew, he was assaulted by several people.

“It is important for people to know that we spoke to our kin before he died, he did not die immediately from the scene where he was beaten up,” she said at the Kibera Law Courts.

“We actually know that he was beaten up by more than one person,” added the spokesperson.

On the other hand, Hype Ballo’s lawyers are fighting hard to maintain that their client was not a bouncer but a hype man, pointing an accusing finger at the police and the media.

“Initially you would see that the first respondent Allan Ochieng, also known as Ballo is characterized as a bouncer,” said his lawyer Otiende Omondi.

According to the lawyers, the characterization and description of Ballo as a bouncer skewed the investigation and turned the views of the public against him.

After his release, Mfalme released a statement thanking the public for standing with him and his team.

“We have advised our legal representatives to follow up with Allan Ochieng’s case and provide legal assistance,” said the April 8 statement.

Ballo is due for a mental health assessment before taking a plea at the Kiambu Law Courts.