A brother of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, Mr Murangiri Kenneth Guantai, is among five suspects the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is seeking to detain further over the murder of political activist and blogger Daniel Muthiani, alias Sniper.
In an application filed at Kiambu Magistrate Court, the DCI wants Kenneth Mutua Matiri, Fredrick Muriuki Kiugu, Frankline Kimathi, Timothy Kinoti and Mr Guantai remanded at Muthaiga Police Station for 21 days to enable detectives complete investigations.
While Mr Guantai is Ms Mwangaza’s brother, Mr Matiri is a protocol officer in the governor's office.
Muthiani, alias Sniper, disappeared on December 2, 2023 and his body was discovered on December 16 in a thicket on the banks of Mutonga River in Tharaka Nithi County.
A post-mortem examination conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor at the Marimanti Level Four Hospital mortuary on December 22 revealed that Muthiani had been tortured before being strangled.
The DCI says in court papers that the suspects lured Muthiani to his death by promising to broker peace with Ms Mwangaza, whom he had criticised.
He travelled from his home in Kabuitu, Igembe South, to meet the five suspects in Meru town and then disappeared.
“The deceased was lured by the accused over the phone that Her Excellency Kawira Mwangaza, the Governor of Meru County, whom he was politically criticising, wanted to meet him for a truce with a view to working together,” the application reads in part.
The five suspects were arrested on Thursday in Meru County and subsequently detained at various police stations in Kiambu and Nairobi counties.
“That the time from the arrest of the respondents to the completion of the investigation has not been sufficient and the applicant requires 21 days to enable the completion of the investigation while the respondents are in police custody,” the application reads.”
“Due to the complexity and nature of the case, the investigating officers need sufficient time to conduct a full and thorough investigation to trace the last moments of the deceased,” the DCI said.
“The prevailing situation on the ground is hostile to them as it is a matter of public record that they are responsible for the murder of the deceased and therefore their safety cannot be guaranteed (while) justice for the victims and their families will not be achieved if the accused are released at this early stage,” the application adds.
The application will be heard on January 8 alongside that of another suspect, Vincent Murithi Kirimi, aka Supuu wa Mioro, who is also being questioned in connection with the murder.
He was arrested and arraigned on Tuesday at the Kiambu Chief Magistrate’s Court and through a miscellaneous application he was remanded in custody for 21 days pending investigations. Mr Kirimi was initially released on a Sh20,000 cash bail by a Maua court on December 18, 2023.
On Thursday, some county employees protested what they described as police harassment over the arrests in connection with the murder.
The county’s chief of staff, Mr Nchamba Mbithi, said the manner in which police arrested Mr Matiri had instilled fear in the workers. Mr Matiri was picked up by officers from DCI on Thursday and driven to the Kiambu Road headquarters for questioning.
“We saw posts on social media that the officer was going to be arrested and it was disturbing to see it actually happen. Nobody called him to inform him that he was being sought by the police,” Mr Mbithi told journalists in Meru.
“We condemn the killing of the young man but the matter has been politicised with arbitrary arrests. If they want to question anyone, including me, they should ask us to report to the police. Let them do their investigation without political interference,” he said.
On Wednesday, Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga ordered Inspector-General of Police Japhet Koome to submit a murder investigation file to his office within seven days.
“Upon receipt of the murder investigation file, the DPP undertakes to consider the facts and evidence contained therein in accordance with the Constitution of Kenya, the ODPP Decision to Charge Guidelines of 2019 and relevant laws and issue appropriate directions in the matter,” Mr Ingonga said.
