Was woman killed by her teenage grandson for money?
Lucy Muthoni Njama, 60, who went missing from her home at Mwireri village on the outskirts of Nyahururu town. Her body was discovered on the banks of River Gathara, days later.
On the evening of June 12, Lucy Muthoni Njama, 60, went missing from her home at Mwireri village on the outskirts of Nyahururu town, Laikipia County.
Neighbours and relatives who saw Muthoni the morning of the day she vanished said she was in a jovial mood as she left for Nyahururu town where she has been selling vegetable seedlings.
“I saw her that morning. There was no sign of trouble,” said Mr Alex Mwangi, a neighbour.
Mr Mwangi narrated how the woman went missing, prompting a search for her.
“We mobilised a team of villagers and embarked on a search for the woman who was well known by everyone around here,” he said.
Residents at Gikingi, Ngomongo, Busara, Riverside and other surrounding areas said they had not seen the mother of three.
Her photos were circulated on various social media platforms in a bid to trace her.
Six days later, the search ended when her mutilated body was discovered on the banks of River Gathara, less than a kilometre from her home.
A group of villagers who were searching for her stumbled on her naked body stashed in a gunny bag on June 19.
The killing of the granny, popularly known as “Mama Njoki” and who lived with her son and grandson, shocked the village.
“My aunt was well-known in the area because of her social work. We were shocked to learn that she had been killed and dumped in the river after searching for her for a whole week. We want to know the motive behind the heinous act,” said Ms Evelyne Wambui, a relative.
Mr Mwangi, who has known Muthoni for about a decade, said she had been killed in a very cruel manner.
Received information
"I was at home when I received information that a body had been found dumped in the river. I immediately rushed to the scene and I was shocked to find that the body was that of one of us and that it had been badly mutilated,” he said.
Mr Mwangi described the deceased as a hardworking woman who beat all odds to buy a piece of land.
“She was in the process of connecting piped water to her home and her killer probably knew she had money,” said another neighbour.
Nyahururu sub-county Police Commander Jacklyne Gasheri said police had arrested Muthoni’s teenage grandson in connection with the murder.
“We are holding the teenager and he is currently in custody. We are also piecing together the investigation to know the motive of the murder and his accomplices,” said the police boss.
A detective privy to the investigations said police retrieved the Muthoni’s mobile phone from a pit latrine.
“We also retrieved an axe that is suspected to be the murder weapon from the same toilet. There are reports that a mattress soaked with blood and the deceased’s clothes were set ablaze to conceal the evidence.”
“We want to know how many people were involved in the murder,” said the detective.
