Murang’a businessman's murder puzzles police as probe explores motives
The late James Maribe whose death has left his family, friends and police puzzled.
Police are piecing together information to close in on suspects who in October murdered a 52-year-old Murang’a businessman.
On October 22, Mr James Maribe closed his bar business at around midnight and set off on foot to his home, which is 500 metres away.
Besides owning a bar, Mr Maribe was a wealthy tea and coffee farmer in Gathaithi village, Kiharu constituency.
The following day at around 10am, he was found dead. The body was found lying in a pool of blood in his sitting room, leaving his family, friends and police puzzled.
Police say they are looking at different theories that could help them understand the motive of the murder as well as zero in on suspects.
The widow, Ms Margaret Wanja, who teaches in Nyeri County said: “I usually visit the home once in a while, two of our children are grown-ups and are living away from home and two twins are in a boarding high school.”
She continued: “I simply don’t comprehend this issue and the police will do my family good if the provide us with an answer and justice for our patriarch.”
Margaret Wanja Maribe speaks to Nation. Her husband James Maribe's death has puzzled police.
She described his departed husband as “loving, nice, easy going, peaceful and simply a man who loved good life.”
A post-mortem report by Dr Kamotho Watenga states that the deceased was hit with a blunt object at the back of his head, occasioning acute trauma and internal bleeding.
The body also had three stab wounds at both sides of the ribs and the neck, which prompted excessive bleeding.
The deceased’s brother Mr Joseph Kagondu who is the chairman of Githambo Tea Factory said the family’s major interest is to know the people who managed to access his brother’s compound despite 10 aggressive dogs that guard the home.”
He said that “it must be someone who frequented that home to a point that the dogs had become friends.”
Githambo tea factory chairman Mr Joseph Kagondu whose brother James Maribe was found murdered on October 22 in Kiharu constituency.
Mr Kagondu led other neighbours into the compound to check on the deceased after he failed to open his bar in the morning as was the routine.
In retracing the final moments of the deceased, Kahuro police boss Catherine Ringera said the route to the deceased house was through his land “and our hunch is that he might have been accompanied by someone or several people to his house.”
The police boss said, “Our working hunch is that the dogs maintained their peace because he was personally there to command them…”
She said the other interesting aspect of the murder is that “his house was not broken into, meaning the attackers were in close monitoring of the victim.”
The attackers also took off with his smartphone and electronics in the house, police added.
Ms Ringera added that “the attackers also went to the bar and opened the doors and took away with the music system and some alcohol.”
She said, “We are investigating further on whether there existed domestic feuds, family enmity, a relationship issue, business rivalry or deal gone sour as possible reasons that led to his murder.”
