Convicted matatu driver linked to murder of Nairobi schoolgirl
A missing person poster of Maureen Wangui, a Grade Six pupil in Nairobi, who disappeared in April only to be later found murdered.
A convicted matatu driver is being investigated for the suspected murder of a Grade Six pupil in Nairobi in April, police told the Nation on Sunday June 12.
Charles Githinji, who pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing motor vehicle spare parts and sentenced to 18 months in Naivasha prison last month, is allegedly the prime suspect behind the abduction of a schoolgirl in Kasarani on April 20.
Githinji was a matatu driver who plied his trade along the Nairobi-Nakuru route before his world changed after stealing four tyres from his employer’s vehicle.
He then travelled to Mombasa, where he stayed for several days, before quietly slipping back to the family’s home in Kerugoya, Kirinyaga County, where he was arrested on April 27.
Police said Mr Githinji had earlier in the month driven his matatu to Nakuru but declined to drive back to Nairobi because he was “too tired”.
“Instead of driving back to Nairobi with passengers, he drove the Sacco vehicle to Naivasha, removed all the tyres and sold them, then fled to Mombasa,” said an officer. Police recovered the stolen tyres and presented them to court as exhibits.
Githinji was charged with stealing motor vehicle spare parts contrary to Section 268 (1) and section 279 (a) of the penal code. He was first taken to the Naivasha Medium Prison awaiting sentencing and was on Thursday handed an 18-month jail term after pleading guilty.
A matatu vehicle that was vandalized reportedly by driver Charles Mwangi who was later arrested in connection with the killing of class six pupil from Githurai 45.
At some point, the magistrate mulled the possibility of handing him a non-custodial sentence. “He was a cool guy, nothing untoward,” said an officer.
Unbeknownst to Naivasha police, Githinji was also being investigated over the abduction of a Jupiter Academy schoolgirl who went missing on April 20.
Detectives suspect Githinji might have committed the offence after leaving Mombasa.
“We never knew that the suspect was involved in an abduction case. We were waiting for him to be produced in court only to learn that he had been taken to Mwiki police station in connection with the disappearance of the Grade Six pupil,” said a detective.
A senior officer at the prison told the Nation that Githinji was picked up by detectives from Nairobi.
“They informed us that they were probing another incident involving the suspect and after following due process, they left with Githinji,” he said.
“I was shocked to see him on national television in connection with the killing of the pupil. He put up an innocent face all throughout the case, pleading guilty after appearing in court,” he added.
Naivasha Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Adan Hassan said: “The matter was handled by the crime desk at Naivasha Police Station before it was taken up by the officers from Nairobi where the earlier crime was committed.”
