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Ngong Road acid attack: What we know so far about the death of ex-NIS official Elvis Opiyo
13th August, 2026 12:41 AM
A dramatic turn has emerged in the case of a horrific acid attack on rising gospel singer Mary Claire Ochieng after the prime person of interest, former NIS official Elvis Opiyo, was found dead at his Nairobi residence.
Elvis Opiyo, a former driver for the National Intelligence Service (NIS) who was facing charges over the brutal assault of 25-year-old Mary Claire Ochieng along Ngong Road, died on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, in an apparent case of taking his own life.
The discovery of Opiyo’s body at his rented apartment in Amani Court within Umoja Two marked a grim development in a saga that has drawn national attention to intimate partner violence and the misuse of toxic chemicals.
Police reports and a subsequent post-mortem examination established that Opiyo died after ingesting a lethal substance.
According to Buru Buru Sub-County Police Commander Boniface Lomuk, Opiyo phoned his wife shortly before his death with an alarming message indicating his intention to end his life.
“Akamwambia alikia ako na nia ya kujitoa uhai [He told her he intended to take his own life],” Commander Lomuk told local reporters on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in Swahili.
Investigators recovered the unknown chemical powder at the scene. Unconfirmed reports suggested Opiyo had warned relatives the substance would end his life within minutes.
“Maofisa wetu walienda pale na wakapata kulikua na unga unga nyeupe ilikua pale ambayo inashukiwa ilikua kemikali alimeza. [Our officers went to the scene and found a white powder on the table and residue on a spoon, which is suspected to be the chemical he ingested],” Lomuk said.
The Buru Buru police boss added:
“But kufikia saa hizi hatuna utibitisho uchunguzi inaendelea [But as of now, we do not have confirmation. Investigations are ongoing]”.
“Mwili iko Mama Lucy Kibaki kwa mortuary inangoja kufanyiwa postmortem” [The body is at the Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem]
Opiyo had been out on bail while his trial proceeded through the Kibera Law Courts.
He had returned to Nairobi from his rural home just two days prior to his death after receiving an official summons and subsequent termination letter from the National Intelligence Service.
Prior to his suspension, Opiyo had served as a driver for the agency and was active as a singer at Lighthouse Ministries, where his connection to Mary Claire Ochieng first developed.
According to police filings and testimonies from among other Mary Claire Ochieng, the conflict began after she attempted to end their multi-year relationship.
Investigators reported that Opiyo, who was married with two children, refused to accept the breakup, demanded a financial refund for funds he claimed to have spent on her college education, and subsequently hired accomplices to carry out the assault.
The assault took place along Ngong Road in Nairobi as Mary Claire Ochieng, an SDA gospel artiste, was walking home from a recording studio.
She was ambushed and doused with concentrated sulfuric acid, sustaining severe chemical burns across her upper body.
While Opiyo’s death closes the criminal proceedings against him, the prosecution of his alleged accomplices continues. On Monday, a Kibera court ordered co-suspect Jared Olang Gang to remain in custody for an additional four days.
Authorities in Nairobi confirmed that investigations into the broader network behind the attack remain ongoing despite the prime suspect’s death.
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Martin Oduor
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