Police in Thika, Kiambu County, have been allowed to detain a 25-year-old man suspected to be the killer of Faith Musembi, 19, a student of Mount Kenya University (MKU).
David Kioko, who appeared before Thika Chief Magistrate Philip Mutua today, will be detained at Thika police station for 14 days to allow investigators to complete their investigations.
Investigating Officer Oscar Limo had applied to hold Kioko for 21 days to allow completion of investigations, but in his ruling, Mutua ordered that he be detained until May 28, 2024, when the matter will be mentioned.
Kioko is suspected to have killed Musembi, a first-year student at MKU, at her rented apartment in Pilot Estate on Wednesday night last week. She was eight months pregnant before she was killed.
While making the application to continue holding him, the investigating officer said that the officers needed time to conduct another autopsy to collect more samples to ascertain the pregnancy and conduct a DNA test.
He also noted that the officers will be subjecting the suspect to mental assessment and recording witness statements.
Further, the investigators sought more time to recover the deceased’s mobile phone, which they intend to subject to forensic analysis.
“We are working to recover the deceased’s mobile phone, which we intend to subject to forensic analysis. We want to complete the investigations and compile a comprehensive report, and the same will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” Limo told the court.
In his ruling, Justice Mutua described the matter as being of public interest, and with a life having been lost, he ordered police to continue holding the suspect for 14 days.
Boyfriend to the deceased
This happened even as it emerged that the suspect, a Tom Mboya University student, had been a boyfriend to the deceased.
The two are said to have known each other for six years, and the murder incident was instigated by infidelity.
According to Thika West Sub-County Police Commander Lawrence Muchangi, the suspect is even known to the deceased’s parents as they come from Kikunyani village in Machakos County.
Speaking to journalists earlier, Muchangi revealed that preliminary investigations point to unfaithfulness as being the reason behind the killing.
“The suspect has indicated that the deceased had four other male friends, and this might have led to him murdering the girl. He decided to eliminate the girl due to frustrations that she had other boyfriends,” Muchangi told journalists.
Before his arrest, the suspect had been demanding ransom from the girl’s parents and even sent them threatening messages.
In the texts seen by People Daily, the suspect reportedly ordered the deceased’s parents to cooperate and have their daughter back, or he would kill her with her unborn child. He had allegedly demanded that he be sent a ransom of Sh 33,000, or the girl be killed.
Family members led by the deceased’s uncle Joseph Kinaka have been demanding justice.
Police have been tracking the suspect using the deceased’s phone, which was in his possession and which led them to Nairobi town.
An autopsy conducted at Thika General Kago Funeral Home, where the girl’s body is lying, indicated that she succumbed due to excessive bleeding.
The report indicated that she had bleeding in the uterus caused by detachment of the placenta leading to excessive bleeding.
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