A Cooperative Bank branch manager and the husband of the late Florence Mueni Mwalimu , Mr Erick Mureithi, have recorded statements with detectives investigating her brutal murder.
Mueni was last seen alive on August 6, only for her mutilated body to be discovered the next day in a maize plantation near her home, with her right thumb chopped off, deep stab wounds on her face, and a severed ear.
Nakuru County Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi on Tuesday confirmed that the bank manager (name withheld) recorded his statement over the weekend, while Mr Mureithi was questioned at his home in Kalyet village, Olrongai, Rongai sub-county, on Monday evening.
Detectives believe that the bank manager’s statement will help trace Mueni’s final movements and understand her activities at the bank. They are also investigating why Mueni's right thumb was taken.
“From the bank manager’s statements, we can understand the places she accessed at the bank. The manager also knows the kind of person she was at work, which will help detectives in their investigations,” said Mr Ndanyi.
The police are actively tracking the main suspect through his mobile phone, which he has been switching on and off. Several witnesses have also recorded statements.
“We are trailing the main suspect; we are receiving information from the public that is helping us a lot. Residents of Nakuru should not be worried—we are casting our nets wide, and soon we will apprehend him," Mr Ndanyi said.
Mueni, a 34-year-old employee of Cooperative Bank Nakuru branch, had checked in at work on Tuesday last week.
Two hours later, she sought permission from her manager to take her sick child to the hospital. After being granted permission she packed her belongings and left the bank, never to be seen alive again.
A post-mortem report revealed that Mueni was still alive when her ear and thumbs were chopped off, causing her immense pain. Her body was later found dumped in a maize plantation not far from her home.
Mr Mureithi, who was in Kisii at the time, received a distress call from his 11-year-old son on Tuesday night informing him that Mueni had not returned home. Unable to reach her by phone, he contacted Mueni's mother, who last spoke to her at 11 a.m. that day.
Mr Mureithi travelled to Nakuru on Wednesday where the bank manager confirmed that Mueni had left the office early. Later he received a call from the area chief asking him to report to Olrongai Police Station and he was taken to the scene where he confirmed his worst fears.
According to Mr Mureithi, his wife of 12 years had not shown any signs of fear or indicated that her life was in danger. He described her as a loving, hardworking woman who enjoyed a simple and private life.
