Seven weeks after a stranger walked into the home of Evelyne Mukiri Mbaabu, at Chabuene village in Imenti East, Meru County and hacked her to death, detectives have arrested a prime suspect.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) now believe Solomon Kathurima Kairemia is the stranger who fatally attacked Mukiri at about 7 pm on August 7.
Mukiri, 65, was preparing supper with her 13-year-old grandson when the assailant entered the compound and asked for drinking water.
Moments later, as the boy fetched water, he heard his grandmother scream for help, only to find her lying in a pool of blood.
The assailant turned on him, striking him on the hand with a panga before fleeing.
According to Meru County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) Abednego Kavoo, the suspect was arrested on September 21 after intense forensic analysis placed the suspect at the scene.
"Following weeks of forensic analysis and intelligence-led investigations by detectives from the CCIO’s Office and DCI Imenti North, the prime suspect, Solomon Kathurima Kairemia, was traced and arrested on September 21, 2026."
"By the time detectives caught up with him, Kairemia had abandoned his house and resorted to spending nights hiding in nearby thickets, just a few metres from his residence." The DCI report states.
Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Earlier, North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood said detectives were investigating whether the murder could be linked to two matters involving Mukiri, including a land dispute and a case in which she was a whistleblower.
Detectives say they recovered a blood-stained machete, believed to have been used in the fatal attack.
"A police identification parade was subsequently conducted, during which Kairemia was positively identified as the man behind the fatal attack." The police report states.
The suspect was arraigned at Meru Law Courts, where investigators obtained 14-day custodial orders to allow them to complete the ongoing investigations.
