Murang’a — The main suspect in the murder of six family members from Nguthuru in Kandara, Murang’a county, will remain in police custody for the next 21 days to give detectives time to investigate the matter.
Alice Wagikuyu Njoroge was arraigned at the Kandara law courts as the main suspect in an arson attack which led to the deaths of six family members.
The six are Mary Wambui Njoroge aged 60 years, her three children: Cecilia Gathoni, 30, Lucy Mumbi, 18, Margaret Wanna,15 and two grandchildren Jackline Wambui, 7, and Alvin Kiarie aged three years.
The investigating officer from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) homicide department, Kennedy Wainaina, through an affidavit said there is compelling evidence to hold the suspect for the act.
Wainaina said the investigating team processed the scene of the incident and recovered suspected accelerants from the suspect’s bedroom, together with used matchsticks giving an indication of her involvement in the arson.
He further said the six were unable to leave their bedroom as the door had been locked from outside, which could only be done by a person within the house giving an implication that the suspect was involved.
The officer said he is pursuing different theories of what could have led to the incident, among them being disputes over the succession of their father’s property and aggravated sibling rivalry.
Wainaina also noted that some of the key witnesses in the case are minors who will need counselling before recording their statements.
Other witnesses who are relatives and close friends to the deceased are yet to record their statements.
The officer also said the mobile phones recovered from the suspect are yet to be analysed and that the postmortem examination of the bodies needed to be conducted.
Principal magistrate Erick Mutunga granted the application and ordered the suspect to be detained at Kabati police station to appear in court on May 2, 2022.
Wagikuyu is believed to have set the house on fire on Saturday night.
The bodies of the deceased have been preserved at the General Kago hospital mortuary in Thika awaiting postmortem. – Kna