Police open probe after Nairobi socialite Starlet Wahu is stabbed to death in South B ‘AirBNB’
Starlet Wahu Mwangi whose body was found at an apartment in South B, Nairobi. Inset: Her relative Pastor Victor Kanyari.
What you need to know:
- The CCTV footage, seen by the Nation, showed the two having a good time.
- They shared a bottle of whiskey and also took an HIV test inside the house.
- Police said they found a Samsung phone, condoms, bhang, a bottle of alcohol and a bloody kitchen knife in the room, as well as the HIV test kit.
When Starlet Wahu Mwangi met with John Matara, 34, at a house in Papino Apartments in South B estate in Nairobi, all seemed well. Little did she know that she would not leave the apartment alive.
CCTV footage shows that when they arrived, Wahu, 26, a close relative of Pastor Victor Kanyari and a well-known socialite, was wearing a red dress, a blue denim coat and black high-heeled shoes while the man was wearing a blue shirt with black stripes, khaki trousers and boots.
They took a lift from the basement of the building, got off on the fourth floor and went straight to the house where they were to spend the night.
Starlet Wahu Mwangi whose body was found at an apartment in South B, Nairobi.
They shared a bottle of whiskey and also took an HIV test inside the house. The test was negative, according to police officers.
But things seemed to have taken a turn for the worse.
The owner of the Airbnb, Florence Ngina, on Friday told officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) that Matara had booked the house for one night, and had checked in on Wednesday.
But in the early hours of Thursday morning, she was informed that Matara had left the premises in a hurry and his clothes were stained with blood.
“I received a call from the gateman who said that the tenant was running away with blood-stained clothes. I rushed to the house but found it locked. We opened it using a spare key and found the body of a woman lying in the living room,” Ngina told detectives.
Ngina, accompanied by two of her colleagues, then went to South B police station where they reported the matter.
Starlet Wahu Mwangi whose body was found at an apartment in South B, Nairobi.
Senior officers in Makadara sub-county were immediately informed of the incident and a team comprising crime scene personnel, DCI officers and regular police rushed to the scene.
A detective who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity said the whole house was stained with blood from where the body was found to the bedroom.
“The scene was horrific. They must have fought for a while as there were signs of struggling in almost every corner, apart from the kitchen,” the DCI sleuth said.
According to our source, the woman had been stabbed in the head and the right thigh. She also had other physical injuries, a clear indication of a struggle.
Police said they found a Samsung phone, condoms, bhang, a bottle of alcohol and a bloody kitchen knife in the room, as well as the HIV test kit.
The body was taken to City Mortuary.
While detectives were busy reconstructing the crime scene, Matara, the main suspect in the murder, had sought the help of his friend, identified as Anthony Nyongesa, and they were at Mbagathi County Hospital where he was being treated.
Detectives were given his personal details, including his mobile phone number, which made it easier for them to locate him.
The officers went straight to Mbagathi Hospital, seven kilometres from the scene, where he was arrested but allowed to receive treatment.
Starlet Wahu.
When the doctors said he was fine, he was escorted with Nyongesa to the Industrial Area Police Station and interrogated. Matara told the detectives that Wahu was his girlfriend.
Judith Nyongesa, the Makadara Sub-county police boss, told the Nation on the phone that investigations were still ongoing.
She said that officers were yet to establish what led to the disagreement that left Wahu dead and her boyfriend badly injured.
In an emotional statement to Nairobi News, Pastor Kanyari expressed profound grief over the loss, highlighting her achievements and the family’s shock at the unfolding tragedy.
“I am heartbroken; she was doing so well in life. We last met on Christmas, and on December 31, we spent time together at home. We had not seen the man before. We learned about him after her death. This is so tragic for us, the family, and even her friends. May her soul rest in peace,” Pastor Kanyari shared.
Starlet Wahu’s life was cut short, and she is set to be laid to rest today, January 6, at her parents’ home in Kamulu.
Starlet, a prominent figure in the beauty world known for her designer clothes and shoes business, shared glimpses of her vibrant life on social media. Her posts celebrated personal achievements, fashion sense, and zest for life.
The last video post on December 27 showcased her in a bodycon dress, expressing her love for life. Her online presence resonated with messages of self-improvement and gratitude for life’s blessings.
