Suspect arrested over murder of Seth Nyakio Njeri in Thika after months of hunt
Detectives from the homicide unit arrested prime suspect Ken Kimanthi Gichunuku, alias “Sultan,” who had been on the run over the brutal murder of Seth Nyakio Njeri.
Nyakio, 23 was a daughter of Kirinyaga nominated Member of County Assembly (MCA).
The suspect was her former boyfriend and police had circulated his image and details as a wanted man.
Nyakio’s lifeless body was discovered on October 14, 2024, inside Blessings Building in Biafra Estate, Thika town, setting off an intensive manhunt.
Nyakio, a graduate of Zetech University, was found murdered at her home in the area.
Preliminary police investigations suggested that she was strangled, with authorities eyeing a former boyfriend as a possible suspect in the case.
The family managed to locate the car Nyakio had used, parked in the Biafra area of Thika, but frustrations grew as they learnt her body had been registered as ‘unknown’ at the local mortuary, despite being identified by a friend at the police station.
An autopsy revealed that Nyakio died from strangulation, with evidence suggesting an assault prior to her death.
Bruises were found on her neck, cheeks, thighs, and other areas, indicating that she likely fought her attacker.
Following the heinous act, the suspect went underground in a bid to evade arrest.
However, relentless investigations and forensic leads finally closed in on him. Detectives trailed and arrested Gichunuku today in Busia town near the Kenya–Uganda border, where he had been working at a cereal distribution shop while hiding in plain sight.
The arrest was made by the homicide team alongside their counterparts from Kisii South and Busia.
The suspect was detained in custody for processing pending arraignment.
Meanwhile, a team of detectives from the Operations Actions Team (OAT) has apprehended four individuals for forging Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) to acquire goods valued at Sh3,249,500 in Thika town.
The suspects, operating under the guise of legitimacy, used counterfeit LPOs featuring the letterhead of Chandaria Ltd to orchestrate their scam, making off with deliveries of Bidco products on two separate occasions.
The arrest follows weeks of discreet surveillance, culminating in a swift operation when detectives received intelligence about their next move.
Responding swiftly, detectives caught the suspects red-handed, led by Haron Mwangi Ndungu, who was at the wheel of their getaway vehicle, an Isuzu lorry registration number KDB 249Z, white in colour.
On board were his accomplices, James Nyaga Munyutha, Philip Njenga, and Paul Ngugi, en route to Bidco once again, armed with another forged LPO, aiming to secure goods worth Sh1,770,740.
All four fraudsters were promptly arrested and are currently in custody, undergoing processing pending arraignment. Meanwhile, the impounded lorry was detained as exhibit.