Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has given an update following a spate of murder cases reported in the past two months.
In a statement on Thursday, October 24, 2024, Kanja noted that so far in 2024, a total of 339 murder cases have been recorded, compared with 336 cases in 2023 and 341 cases in 2022.
The latest of the murder victims is Willis Onyango Aiyeko, a 52-year-old Wells Fargo employee whose partially discomposed body was found in the Mungowere stream in Khwisero Sub-County. Ayieko had initially been reported missing at Siaya Police Station on October 21, 2024.
“The DCI Homicide Unit is progressing with the investigation into this case,” Kanja stated.
In another murder case, a body suspected to be that of the MCA Yusuf Hussein, Member for Dela Ward, Wajir County who went missing on September 13, 2024, in Makadara Nairobi, was found floating at Lake Yahud in Wajir East Sub County on October 20, 2024.
“Autopsy conducted on October 21, 2024, by the Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor in the presence of the family doctor, Dr Daniel Zuriel and local Members of Parliament, at Wajir County Referral Hospital Morgue, has established the cause of death to be head injury due to blunt trauma. Based on DNA samples from the body and the mother of the MCA, the post-mortem analysis by KEMRI and Government Chemist have not matched and concluded that the body is not for the said MCA,” Kanja added.
“Consequently, DCI Wajir will open an inquest for the body while Makadara DCI will continue with the investigations for the MCA’s case.”
In another case in Kajiado, High Court Advocate James Nyaata Onchiri, 62 years old, was found dead on October 22, 2024.
“CCTV footage retrieved by the investigators for forensic analysis has shown Erick Ondiek dragging the deceased from the bar towards the vehicle before he reverses and runs over the deceased, then flees the scene leaving the car behind. The post-mortem analysis conducted on October 23, 2024, at the Kajiado County Hospital by Dr Dorothy Njeru attributed the cause of death to chest injuries due to blunt force trauma,” Kanja stated.
Kanja says five persons of interest including a bar owner and the attendants have been arrested to assist police with the investigation.
“The suspects appeared before court for custodial orders and the investigation team granted five days till October 28, 2024,” he added.
In yet another murder case, the bodies of three family members – Dahabo Daud Said (38), Amina Abdirashid Dahir (22) and Nusayba Abdi Mohammed (13) were found with stab wounds on October 22, 2024, at around 6 am at different locations after they went missing the previous night from their house in Eastleigh Estate, Nairobi.
“The bodies of Nusayba, Amina and Dahabo were found at Bahati in Makadara, 6th Avenue Parklands and Khyumbi, in Machakos respectively, with the hands of Dohabo chopped off. On 23/10/2024, two human hands were recovered at South C along Five-Star Road. The bodies are preserved at the City Mortuary (Nairobi Funeral Home) awaiting autopsy scheduled for 25/10/2024. DCI Homicide Team is investigating,” Kanja added.
Sleuths are also investigating the murder of Seth Nyakio Njeri, 23, whose body was discovered in her friend’s house on October 14, 2024, at Blessing Building in Biafra Estate, Thika Township.
“On October 17, 2024, a post-mortem was conducted by the Government Pathologist, Dr Mathaiya in the presence of the family pathologist, family lawyer and family members, who attributed the death to Asphyxia due to manual strangulation and smothering. The matter is under investigation by the Homicide Investigations,” the police boss stated.
More murder cases
In the murder of Victoria Mumbua, a taxi driver in Mombasa whose body was recovered on September 28, 2024, Kanja said that one suspect had been arrested and confessed to killing the driver.
“Police in Nakuru vide Mwariki Police Station on September 29, 2024, arrested a suspect Edwin Ngetich Kipkemboi in possession of the victim’s vehicle and he confessed to having murdered and dumped her body along Mai Mahiu-Naivasha Highway. Her body which was recovered on September 28, 2024, by Officers from Lari Police Station and brought to City Mortuary for preservation has since been positively identified by her family,” Kanja noted.
“Forensic analysis by the DCI Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau Officers on two mobile phones recovered from the suspect has also linked him with another murder of George Njuguna, a taxi driver in Migori County who was reported missing on 31/7/24 at Kehancha Police Station while driving a motor vehicle reg number KDD 468C make Noah before his body was recovered in a thicket by herders along old Nairobi Nakuru road near St Marys Hospital with deep cut on the neck.”
In the case of Njuguna’s death, Homicide Detectives have managed to recover the said motor vehicle in Nakuru fitted with new registration number KDC 985D.
The suspect has also been linked to two other cases of robbery with violence in which two taxi drivers were lured before they were robbed of their motor vehicles.
Kanja says detectives have recovered the two motor vehicles fitted with fake number plates.
“We wish to call upon all members of the public to partner with the Police, by reporting any criminal activities or suspects to the DCI Homicide Unit or nearest police station. We further wish to assure the public of our commitment to investigate these heinous acts of crime to their logical conclusions and bring the perpetrators to book,” he said.
