DCI urges Matara’s victims to come forward as probe into Starlet Wahu’s murder intensifies

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has intensified its probe into the brutal murder of 26-year-old socialite Starlet Wahu Mwangi, as prime suspect John Matara remains in police custody.

In a statement on Sunday, January 7, the DCI urged any additional victims or survivors of Matara’s alleged animosity to step forward and report their ordeals.

DCI appeals for victims, witnesses to come forward

The DCI, in their statement, commended those who have come forward to report their encounters with Matara and urged more witnesses to step forward.

“The DCI appeals to any victims and survivors of the suspect’s animosity, to formally report their ordeals at the Regional Criminal Investigations Office in Nairobi or the nearest police station,” the statement read in part.

The police also cautioned the public to be vigilant and wary of individuals who may pose as lovers but have malicious intentions.

“We encourage more witnesses of such brutality and monstrous attacks to come out and record statements with our detectives. Meanwhile, the DCI commits to painstakingly investigate this brutal murder of such a young Kenyan,” the DCI stated.

Starlet Wahu’s murder

On Thursday, January 4, tragedy struck when the lifeless body of Wahu was discovered in room Y32 on the fourth floor of Papino Apartments, an Airbnb in Nairobi’s South B.

The building’s watchman became alarmed after witnessing Matara hastily leaving the scene, wearing clothes stained with blood. Acting quickly, he raised the alarm.

The owner of the AirBnB, who had rented the unit to Wahu and Matara for the night, used a spare key to enter the locked premises from the outside. To her horror, she stumbled upon the shocking scene of Wahu’s lifeless body sprawled on the floor.

In response to the alert, Makadara detectives arrived and found the young woman’s body soaked in a pool of blood, lying between the bed and the main door. This suggested a desperate struggle for help had taken place.

Examination of the body revealed a stab wound near the left ear, a deep cut on the right thigh, and a human bite on the left arm. The room itself bore witness to a life-and-death struggle, with broken glass and splattered blood evident throughout.

John Matara, aged 34, was traced to Mbagathi Hospital, where he sought treatment for slight injuries to his arm and leg. He was apprehended alongside his 25-year-old friend, Anthony Nyongesa, who was assisting him at the hospital. Both were escorted to the Industrial Area Police Station.

Investigations suggest that Matara may be a part of a criminal ring targeting women through dating sites and other social media apps.

Authorities are looking into the possibility of Matara being a serial sexual offender who employs blackmail against his victims.