Five suspects in the Mawanga murders in Nakuru County at a Nakuru court. From right: Julius Otieno, Josphat Simiyu, Dennis Mmbolo, Isaac Kinyanjui and Makhoha Wanjala.
A series of blunders by the prime suspect in the 2021/2022 horrific murders of women in Mawanga, Nakuru County, led to the exposure and subsequent arrest of the entire gang.
New details presented before a court in Nakuru reveal how Evans Michori Kebwaro, the alleged mastermind behind the killings, inadvertently used a stolen mobile phone from one of their victims, ultimately sealing the gang's fate.
Michori's newest confession dated April 15 and recorded in his plea bargain agreement recalls how he and his accomplices, after laying low following media coverage of their crimes, succumbed to the urge to use a mobile phone stolen from Beatrice Akinyi Adhiambo, whose murder was still under police investigation.
Out of ignorance, Michori inserted his own SIM card into the phone, triggering a signal to the police, as the phone's IMEI number had been reported stolen in another incident within the Mawanga area.
The police swiftly traced the signal to Michori's rural home in Masimba, Kisii County, leading to his arrest and subsequent identification of his five accomplices Kevin Omondi, Josephat Simiyu, Julius Omondi, Isaac Kinyanjui, and Dennis Alusiola.
The six suspected members of the outlawed Confirm gang in Nakuru were apprehended and charged with multiple counts of murder.
They were then charged with several counts of murders of at least four women namely Beatrice Akinyi, Grace Wanjiku, Diana Opicho, and Susan Wambui, who were killed on diverse dates between December 21, 2021, and June 24, 2022.
In the plea bargain deal, Michori confessed to manslaughter and provided intricate details of the gang's modus operandi.
In the confession, he also recounted how they meticulously planned and executed the raid and murder of Grace Wanjiku Kariuki, highlighting Kevin Omondi's leadership and the gang's violent actions.
According to Michori, the gang of six members convened at Kingdom Seekers playing fields, their usual meeting spot for previous operations, at 9am.
From there, they departed for their target area in Mawanga on motorbikes, with Kevin Omondi leading the operation.
The confession says Kevin directed Simiyu and Kinyanjui to approach a target shop near the road and engage Grace, who was managing the family shop, while her mother attended church.
“Simiyu and Kinyanjui introduced themselves to the lady as carpenters who had been sent by her mother to do furniture repairs in the house. The woman dismissed them after confirming with her mother via a phone call that she had not sent anyone for such a job,” stated Michori.
However, the two men sneaked into the shop and grabbed Wanjiku while she was on the phone with her mother, allowing the other gang members, who were on the lookout, to enter.
"Kevin placed a knife on Grace's neck and escorted her to the main house. Kevin and Dennis took her to the bedroom and killed her. Dennis then came from the bedroom and instructed me and Julius to go and check whether there was money at the shop," Michori explained.
They discovered Sh2,500 in different denominations, which they took along with credit cards. Returning to the main house, they found Kinyanjui packing a 32-inch TV into a box.
As they prepared to leave, Michori recounted how Kevin spilled petrol from a container he was carrying onto the house and set it ablaze as they fled on their motorbikes.
Upon the discovery of the fire, Wanjiku's mother was called and she rushed home to find neighbors attempting to extinguish it.
Tragically, her daughter's burnt body was found lying on a charred bed, beyond recognition, without any signs of struggle or attempts to escape the flames.
The matter was reported to Kiugoini police station in Bahati Constituency.
The gang on the other hand converged in the evening at the same venue at Kingdom Seekers where Michori was given Sh2,000 by Kevin.
The gang's brutality was further revealed through a post-mortem examination conducted on June 23, 2022, which unveiled signs of strangulation and genital trauma on Wanjiku’s body.
The body was identified by the deceased’s uncle.
Michori has already confessed to taking part in the killing of another woman.
