The homicide department of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has released a photo of the prime suspect in the October murder of Seth Nyakio, the daughter of a Kirinyaga politician.
After coming close to arresting him but failing at least two times, the DCI is now appealing to members of the public to participate in the manhunt of the prime suspect, identified as 26-year-old Ken Kimathi alias Sultan.
The calls have been amplified by Ms Nyakio’s mother Lucy Njeri, a nominated member of the Kirinyaga County Assembly.
Ms Njeri appealed to all who might happen to spot the suspect not to hesitate in helping the police arrest him.
“You will help me a great deal to pursue justice for my daughter. It pains, it hurts, it distresses,” she said on Thursday.
Ms Nyakio, who was Ms Njeri’s only daughter, was found murdered in Biafra estate located in the outskirts of Thika town, Kiambu County.
Her mother narrated to Nation.Africa how her daughter left the house in Kamakis Estate in Kiambu County saying she was going to visit a friend in Thika town.
“My daughter was in high spirits and had promised to be back home latest the following evening. Had I known that this was the last time she was to be with me alive, I would have dissuaded her not to go. But there was no instinct that warned me that my beloved daughter was heading to a painful death,” she said.
An autopsy conducted by Dr John Mathaiya and Charles Muturi established that Nyakio died of “manual strangulation while her nose and mouth were covered by a palm.”
The homicide department demanded the investigative file from Thika Police Station following political and social pressure from family, relatives and friends who complained of slow paced search for the suspect(s).
On Thursday, the DCI homicide head, Mr Martin Nyuguto said investigations backed by the crime research bureau had identified Mr Kimathi – who is a former Thika Technical Institute student – as the prime suspect.
The lifeless body of Ms Nyakio, who was a mass communication graduate from a Thika-based university, was found inside a dingy low cost rental house in a room belonging to her friend.
The DCI has since recorded a statement from a woman identified as Phoebe Mwende who is a student at a Thika-based university.
Ms Mwende, in whose house and bed the dead body was found, had reported the matter to the police, indicating that she had left the deceased sleeping on the morning of October 14 and went to Thika town to attend to personal issues.
She added that when she returned to her house at 4pm, she found the lifeless body of her friend.
“The young man appearing in the photo is the prime suspect in the murder of Njeri,” the DCI states in the public appeal.
"After the heinous murder, the suspect who also goes by the nickname Sultan went into hiding, and homicide detectives are hunting him down," the DCI said.
“Notably, the suspect we have in mind has a criminal record of threatening to kill as evidenced in a September 25, 2024 court case, and detectives are considering him dangerous to anyone he deems might expose him,” the DCI further said.
“Do you know his whereabouts? Have you any information that might assist in his speedy arrest? Call our toll free hotline 0800722203 any time to report anonymously, or report to any police station near you,” the appeal concludes.
Ms Nyakio was buried on October 29 in a ceremony that was attended by, among others, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
Ms Waiguru asked investigating agencies to speed up the investigations and bring to book Ms Nyakio’s murderer(s).
She described the late Ms Nyakio as a “happy and loving girl” who did not deserve such kind of death.
The governor said there are many questions that remained unanswered in regard to Ms Nyakio’s killing.
“How did it happen and the area is so crowded? How come no one heard despite the house where Nyakio was murdered having more than 30 people in the neighbourhood?” Ms Waiguru posed.
Thika West Sub County Police Commander Laurence Muchangi told Nation.Africa that the suspect was identified on the date Ms Nyakio’s death was reported.
“We immediately started hunting him. There was overwhelming evidence to make us believe it was him we needed to arrest to resolve the murder,” Muchangi said.
“The suspect was Ms Mwende’s boyfriend and he had been reported to have been the last to be seen entering and leaving the room where Ms Nyakio’s body was found,” he said. “We nearly grabbed him on the night of October 23, but he escaped our dragnet.”
It was after the botched raid was greeted by an outcry that the homicide department demanded to take over the investigations.
On Thursday, Mr Nyuguto confirmed that the suspect is believed to be “highly mobile” in Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties.
“Our sleuths have visited the suspect’s village but though he had been sighted, he managed to slip away. We believe we are very close to his heels...He can run but it is only for a short period especially now that we have looped in all those who detest taking away human life and might spot him,” Mr Nyuguto said.
“I hope anyone tempted to host the fugitive understands the risks involved, especially if our officers show up and meet resistance,” he added. “Mostly, the results are costly to live with.”
