The search for a Nakuru businesswoman who had gone missing 11 days ago ended tragically yesterday when her body was discovered on the banks of River Molo in Baringo County.
Emotions ran high when family members saw the remains of their loved one that had been buried in a shallow grave, just a few kilometers from Mogotio Police station.
Veronica Kanini’s body had decomposed so badly that the family only identified her by the yellow sweater she was wearing on November 12, the day she disappeared.
Mr Moses Kipchirchir, who was arrested on November 13 after he was found in possession of Kanini’s phone, allegedly confessed to the killing and led detectives to the site.
Mogotio Sub-County criminal investigation boss, Mr Lucas Tumbo, said the suspect guided them to the scene of crime at 7pm on Tuesday.
Mr Kipchirchir reportedly took the officers through a dusty road leading to Molo River, off the Mogotio-Kabarnet highway, in a bushy area where he allegedly dumped had committed the heinous crime.
Police remove the body of Veronica Kanini from the crime scene in Mogotio, Baringo County on November 24, 2021.
Photo credit: Cheboite Kigen | Nation Media Group
“After a thorough interrogation, the suspect confessed to have killed the woman and buried her. He took us to the scene where we recovered the body. The suspect was arrested on November 13. He had received some cash the previous night through M-Pesa,” said Mr Tumbo.
“He was arraigned on November 15 and the court granted our request to detain him for 14 days to complete investigations,” he added.
Ms Rahab Wanjiru, the daughter, noticed her mother’s yellow sweater, which she had worn on the day she disappeared.
“It was a challenge to access the area but we managed to get through. After the postmortem, we’ll be able to establish the cause of the death,” said Mr Tumbo.
Mr Mariko Njuguna, the husband of Ms Veronica Kanini.
Photo credit: Cheboite Kigen | Nation Media Group
Kanini’s husband, Mr Mariko Njuguna, had earlier told the Nation that his wife had made a distress call to their family friend requesting Sh3,000, saying that she had been admitted to a hospital in Mogotio in a critical condition.
Kanini later told her husband that the money was meant to secure her freedom, but did not divulge the details.
“We had been in constant communication throughout the day before the incident. I remember she had called me at 9am to inquire if I had arrived safely. She told me she had left for Mogotio. We later spoke at 3pm, 5.47pm and 6.08pm before her phone went off,” said Mr Njuguna.
Later that evening, he received a phone call from a close friend who informed him that his wife had asked for Sh3,000 for a medical emergency.
Her phone was, however, switched off after the money was sent. Mr Njuguna then reported the matter at the Nakuru Central Police station before he was referred to Mogotio Police station.
