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Ex-boyfriend arrested over murder of 23-year-old woman
Gaudencia Amwayi, 23, was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend on July 15 2026.
Detectives in Isinya are holding a 30-year-old man suspected of murdering his 23-year-old former girlfriend in a suspected case of femicide at Sucos Estate in Kajiado East sub-County.
The body of Gaudencia Amwayi, was discovered in her rental bedsitter on the night of Wednesday, July 15, 2026, by her current boyfriend, who had gone to visit her after she failed to answer repeated phone calls despite informing her earlier that he would be stopping by that evening.
According to the boyfriend's account, he pushed open the main door after repeatedly knocking and making several unanswered phone calls.
"The body was lying on the floor. The room indicated no signs of struggle. Yes, she has been my girlfriend for almost a year now," he told the Nation at Kitengela sub-County Hospital Mortuary on Monday during the postmortem exam.
The assailant is said to have fled the scene before the body was discovered.
When the Nation met the family on Monday morning, they were still trying to come to terms with the death of their loved one. Her elderly parents had travelled overnight from Kakamega County after receiving the devastating news.
Her father, Maurice Anyangu, 64, said the death of his fifth-born child had hit him hard, eulogizing her as a jovial young woman who was determined to succeed in life.
"She had lived in town for five years. She was jovial and full of life. Let the security agencies expedite the investigation to bring the suspect to book. I want justice for my daughter," said Anyangu amid tears.
Maurice Anyangu, 64, holding a photo of her slain daughter Gaudencia Amwayi at Kitengela sub-County Hospital Mortuary on July 20 2026.
Merab Linah Anyangu, the deceased's elder sister, said her sister, who worked at a local hotel, had lately been living in fear following constant threats from her ex-boyfriend, whom she had separated from nearly a year ago.
"My sister fell out with the previous boyfriend and moved on. She had no child. She had intimated to me that her ex-boyfriend was threatening her despite the fact that he used to live in Malaa along Kangundo Road," said Merab. "Cases of homicide are rampant nowadays. Let men understand that the end of a relationship should not be an enmity but a sign of maturity."
The postmortem conducted on Monday by Dr Joseph Ndegwa at Kitengela Sub-County Hospital Mortuary revealed that the deceased died from manual strangulation.
"The cause of death was neck compression due to manual strangulation. There were no signs of self-defense, indicating she was attacked unaware. The neck had bruises," said Dr Ndegwa.
Isinya Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer (SCCIO) Wanga Masake told the Nation that police were holding the 30-year-old suspect, whose name has been withheld, after preliminary investigations placed him at the murder scene.
Mr Wanga said the suspect was tracked to a hideout in Malaa along Kangundo Road over the weekend.
"The suspect is in our custody. We will arraign him in court on Tuesday seeking more days to hold him as we conclude the investigations.
There is no perfect murder; a suspect must leave a trail that we used to track him," said Wanga.
Cases of femicide have been on the rise in the metropolitan parts of Kajiado County, including Kitengela, Ong'ata Rongai, Kiserian and Ngong, with police records indicating that at least 30 incidents have been reported over the last three years.
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