3 more suspects charged with murder of blogger Daniel Muthiani alias Sniper

Three more suspects have been charged with the murder of Daniel Muthiani Bernard alias Sniper.

The three, Christus Manyara Kiambi alias Chris, Brian Mwenda alias Brayo, and Bonface Kithinji Njiiyia aias Dj Kaboom were charged with murder at the Kiambu High Court.

The trio were charged after the mental assessments determined that they were all fit to stand trial, according to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

They pleaded not guilty to the charge before Lady Justice Abigail Mshila.

The prosecution made an application to consolidate the matter and a case where Vincent Murithi Kirimi alias Supuu O’mioro and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai alias Tali are charged with the same offence.

The court ordered that Kiambi and Mwenda be remanded at Kamiti Maximum Prison while Njiiyia will be remanded at Nairobi Remand Prison in the Industrial Area pending filing a bail application by the defence and subsequent response by the prosecution.

The three, alongside the two initially charged in court, are accused that on diverse dates between December 2, 2023, and December 6, 2023, at River Mutonga in Ciakariga Sub-County within Tharaka Nithi County, jointly with others not before the court, murdered Daniel Muthiani Bernard alias Sniper.

The court directed the Probation and Aftercare Service to conduct a social inquiry and file a pre-bail report before February 29, 2024, when the matter will be mentioned for compliance and direction.

Sniper’s disappearance

Blogger Sniper disappeared on December 2, 2024, and his body was discovered on December 16, 2023.

According to a postmortem examination conducted by chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor, the blogger had been strangled to death.

The deceased also had marks on his neck and exhibited signs of a person who lacked oxygen. He also had fractured ribs and injuries on his head.