DCI holds woman in girl's death probe

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is holding a woman who took the body of her 10-year-old cousin to City Mortuary after she was allegedly tortured to death at her aunt’s house in Nairobi.

Jackline Mumuli is being detained at Pangani police station pending investigations into the death of Janet Nambia.

She was arrested at the mortuary on December 24 after presenting the body claiming Nambia had been sick for some time.

Police officers at the mortuary noticed that the minor’s body had multiple injuries on the head, neck and shoulders and informed their counterparts at Pangani.

A relative of the minor, Lameck Dallas, had reported to police that Nambia was unwell at the home along Chai Road in Pangani, Nairobi, and was taken to the Radiant Hospital on Juja Road where she was pronounced dead.  Lameck had found the minor unconscious.

In hiding

The minor is suspected to have been killed by Jackline's mother, Loise Achieng, who has gone into hiding. Ms Achieng is Nambia's aunt.

She was living with the minor after her mother died.

Detective Constable Mohammed Ibrahim of Pangani DCI offices told the Makadara law courts that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death are incomplete.

Ibrahim said several key issues remain to be investigated and the main suspect, Ms Achieng, has not been arrested.

“Her last location was in Western at a place called Ndalu where she switched off her phone,” Ibrahim states in an affidavit filed at the court. He was seeking orders to hold Mumuli for 14 days.

Ibrahim said preliminary investigations indicate the minor was tortured.

Senior Principal Magistrate Angelo Kithinji allowed the detective to detain the suspect until January 7 next year.