Police are pursuing a man who is alleged to have raped and killed an 18-year-old woman in Imenti Central, Meru County.
Police say there was a scuffle at the suspect’s house after he enticed his victim and her sister with a motorcycle ride on Sunday night, during which the woman reportedly bit his tongue and chopped off part of it.
The victim’s 17-year-old sister who escaped the ordeal narrated how the suspect lured them into his house.
Elsie Kagute said after attending a crusade at Gacibi, the local shopping centre, with her sister Rose Nkatha, they started walking home.
Kelvin Mwaki, the suspect who was known to the victim followed the duo and offered them a lift.
“It was around 9pm and since we did not want him to take advantage of us we decided to pay him Sh200. We rode up to a corner and instead of turning towards our home he took us to his house. When we demanded to know what was going on, he claimed that he was going to pick some groundnuts since he was chewing miraa,” she said.
However, when they reached his place he forced Nkatha into his house and ordered Elsie to leave. However, she refused to abandon her sister and a scuffle ensured but he managed to push her out and locked the door from the inside, she said.
“He started beating my sister as we both screamed but nobody came to our rescue. Nkatha shouted to me from within that ‘he is killing me please go and call our father and brother…he’s killing me’. I was in a panic I ran home for help,” she said.
It is a distance of about three kilometres and by the time the helpers arrived, Mwaki is said to have already raped Nkatha, killed her and dumped the body in a trench, 50 metres from his house.
David Kiiru, Nkatha’s father said Mwaki was a nuisance in the village, terrorising residents with threats of violence. He added that the suspect at one time slashed his own wife, the mother of his two children with a panga but after pleading for forgiveness his in-laws allowed them to continue living together.
“But last year he beat her again and since she is pregnant, she went away to live with her parents, meaning Mwaki has been living alone for more than six months,” he said.
Moses Murimi, Nkatha’s brother said he and Mwaki had grown up together, adding that he was shocked at the turn of events. “I have known him since we were in the same primary school. He was violent but I did not expect that he could kill,” Murimi said.
According to the police, Nkatha was hit on the head severally using a blunt object. The body was taken to Gotolengo Mission hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem tests.
Detectives who processed the scene and visited the suspect’s house said they found a piece of what is suspected to be Mwaki’s tongue on a mattress, soaked in blood.
“There were signs of a struggle since the suspect’s trouser and shoes had been tossed out of the window. He might have tried to forcibly kiss her, to which she responded by biting off his tongue,” said one detective.
“But it was surprising that his motorcycle was parked neatly in the sitting room, which boasts a sofa set. We suspect that the three had first settled for a party before the suspect made sexual advances on them,” he added.
The police also pointed out that Nkatha had her pair of trousers and underwear on although they were inside-out. Detectives are seeking to establish how she may have been raped and then wore her clothes and at what point she was killed.
Kennedy Apindi, Imenti Central DCI boss, said they have launched a manhunt for the suspect with a team of detectives hard on his trail.
Police have also alerted medical facilities in the area to stay on the lookout for anyone seeking treatment, but missing a piece of his tongue.
“We are using every available means to track him down. The suspect is known to the victim and we have talked to several people who have given us crucial leads including his attempt to escape to Mombasa but we are on his radar,” said Mr Apindi.
