Lawyer: Man who murdered family intends to kill the rest

The family of Lawrence Warunge, 22, a Mount Kenya University student from Kiambu who hit the national headlines in January 6 last year for killing his four family members has opposed his application to be released on bail.

They have informed the court in writing that even in remand, where Mr. Warunge has been detained since his arrest, he has been threatening his remaining family members with death. 

The court was also informed that through his earlier confession to investigators during his interrogation, he wanted to also kill his two other sisters but could not, given that they were in school. 

Mr. Warunge has been in custody after he brutally murdered his father Nicholas Njoroge Warunge, his mother Ann Wanjiku, their adopted nephew Maxwell Njenga, his brother Christian Njenga Njoroge and farmhand

James Kinyajui Wambaa on January 6, 2021 at Karura village, Kiambaa, Kiambu county.

Now, Mr. Warunge through his lawyer Ntenga Marube  has moved to Kiambu  High Court seeking to be released on bond.

''I spoke to my client and he wishes to apply for bond. We seek a pre-bail report,’’Mr Marube said through a notification submitted in court.

But Warunge family has vehemently opposed that their kin be released on bond saying that he still intends to kill his remaining siblings. 

‘The Warunge and Njenga family have expressed that they do not wish for the accused to be released from custody throughout the length of the case. This is due to the following reasons: The accused, during his arrest, expressed that he had every intention to kill his remaining two sisters and other members of the family as well.

“The accused has, through different numbers that emanated from the remand prison threatened the life of his cousin and his family,” the Warunge family has told the court through their lawyer Ndindi & Nadida Advocates while opposing his bail or bond terms.

''The accused seems not to be remorseful and if released may carry out his words of killing his sisters, cousins and relatives,’’ the family said. 

Mr Warunge, through a probation report filed in court has revealed that he felt his parents hated and neglected him, describing his father as a serial drunkard.

‘Mr Warunge stated that his late parents had neglected him during his childhood. He says that he used to be mistreated by the house help and neighbours while his parents were busy with work, an aspect that affected his self-esteem. He added that his father was violent when drunk, would beat him and never appreciated his efforts,’’ the probation report reads.

Mr Warunge has pleaded not guilty to all the murder charges and has been in at Nairobi’s Industrial Area Remand Prison.

“Lawrence Simon Warunge on the night of 5th and 6th January ,2021 at Karura village, Kiambaa sub-county murdered Christian Njenga, Maxwell Njenga, James Kinyajui Wambaa, Nicholas Njoroge Warunge and Ann Wanjiku Njoroge.contrary to Section 203 as read with section 204 of the Penal code (Cap 63) laws of Kenya,” reads the charge sheet in part.

A mental assessment report submitted in court showed that he was fit to stand trial.

Mr Warunge’s girlfriend, Ms. Sarah Muthoni who was a co-accused in the murder was acquitted on January 26 and is currently a state witness.

Her release came after the prosecution team made an application in court seeking to turn her into a state witness to help unravel the macabre murder.

A postmortem on Mr Warunge murder victims done by Chief Government Pathologist Mr Johansen Oduor revealed that they all died from multiple stab wounds and blunt objects inflicted by the same person.

Mr Warunge, would later take detectives from the homicide department to Mai-Mahiu, Nakuru county where he had disposed the tools he had used while committing the murders.

Lady Justice Rachel Ngetich scheduled bail application and the main suit for hearing on   May 9.