Detectives recover decomposed body of student, arrest suspect in Maseno

Detectives in Kisumu recovered the decomposing body of a 21- year- old RIAT College female student in RIAT forest, following her earlier reported disappearance.

The recovery of the body bearing knife stub wounds follows the earlier arrest of the prime suspect, Steven Coleman Okoth believed to have orchestrated her gang rape, torture and subsequent disappearance, a traumatic event that occurred in Kisumu’s Milimani area, Kisumu on the night of April 5, 2026.

According to investigations, on the fateful night, what began as a series of failed phone calls due to poor network connectivity quickly spiralled into a nightmare.

An elder sister to the missing victim grew increasingly anxious after being unable to reach her sister, a student at RIAT College.

Her fears were confirmed at midnight when a distressing text message finally came through.

From the text, it was revealed that she had been lured into a drinking spree by two male colleagues from the same institution, leaving her incapacitated.

In her vulnerable state, she was sexually assaulted and later abandoned in a bush in critical condition. But before she could be helped, her phone went offline.

Acting swiftly on the devastating report, detectives from Kisumu West Sub-County launched a scrupulous investigation.

Drawing crucial leads from forensic analysis, the team traced the victim’s last known location to the Milimani area near Kenya Wildlife Service offices.

Despite a thorough search for her, she wasn’t found.

Persistent probe into the matter shed some light when one suspect was identified and flushed from his hole.

Said to be the victim’s former boyfriend, he had been spotted with the heavily drugged lady that evening, police said citing witnesses.

Investigations further revealed a series of threats issued to the victim over the past two months by the suspect, who repeatedly visited her residence in RIAT in search for her.

At the time of arrest, the suspect was found with crucial exhibits of evidential value, which detectives have been using in their search for the missing student and other suspects.

The suspect was detained for processing and arraignment as search for his accomplices continued, police said on Monday.

The motive of the murder remains unknown.