Homicide detectives have sealed off Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza's official residence in Milimani Estate, Meru town. It's not clear whether they are investigating the murder of blogger and political activist Daniel Muthiani, alias Sniper.
On Friday evening, Ms Mwangaza broke her silence over the murder in a speech to the local Meru media.
Speaking for the first time about the gruesome murder that has sucked in her brother, who is being held for questioning by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ms Mwangaza said detectives should be allowed to investigate and get to the truth of the matter.
"I don't want to comment much on the murder of Sniper and we all want to know what happened. The matter is being investigated," she said.
The DCI arrested her brother, Murangiri Kenneth Guantai, in connection with the murder and applied for him to be remanded in custody for 21 days, along with four other suspects, pending investigations.
In an application filed at the Kiambu Magistrate's Court on Friday, the DCI wants Kenneth Mutua Matiri, Fredrick Muriuki Kiugu, Frankline Kimathi, Timothy Kinoti and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai remanded at Muthaiga Police Station for 21 days to allow the detectives to complete their investigations.
While Mr Guantai is her brother and an officer on her security detail, Mr Matiri is a protocol officer in the governor's office.
In the application, the DCI alleges that the suspects lured Muthiani to his death by promising to arrange a meeting with Ms Mwangaza.
Muthiani went missing on the night of December 2, 2023, and his body was discovered on December 16. He had been tortured and strangled, according to a post-mortem conducted by government pathologist Johansen Oduor.
In his social media posts, Muthiani recorded videos criticising the governor and, according to the DCI, the suspects had told Muthiani that the governor wanted them to work together.
Asked if Muthiani had visited her residence as alleged, Ms Mwangaza said that was not true, adding that she was ready to use CCTV footage to prove that the blogger had never visited her.
