Kilimani murder: Court frees 3 suspects, gives police 30 days for probe
What you need to know:
- Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku Monday released three suspects linked to Sheila Njeri Murage’s death on Sh100,000 bond or Sh50,000 cash bail each.
- An autopsy report indicated that she suffered head injuries inflicted by a blunt object and was sexually assaulted before she was skilled.
- The three suspects were arrested as they attended the party. The house in which it took place belonged to Ms Ng’eno, a suspect in the case.
A court in Nairobi has granted police one month to uncover the murder of a woman whose body was found in a flower bed in Nairobi’s upmarket Kilimani, after a night party with her friends.
Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku Monday released three suspects linked to Sheila Njeri Murage’s death on Sh100,000 bond or Sh50,000 cash bail each.
Unlike in other capital offences where the prosecution opposes the bail application, the State and investigators did not object to the request.
The suspects, Mr Shem Lwanga Mang’ula, Ms Christine Awuor Aluoch and Ms Claire Chepkoech Ng’eno, had been in police custody since last Thursday.
DNA SAMPLES
Investigating officer Joseph Nderitu told the court that detectives had obtained samples from Mr Mang’ula’s DNA and that they were under examination at the Government Chemist.
Mr Nderitu said the detectives were waiting for the results so as to decide the way forward and that the case file had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for perusal.
Police sought the DNA profiling following reports that Ms Murage had been sexually assaulted as vaginal swabs revealed the presence of semen.
The court directed the suspects to report to the Kilimani Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) every Monday until August 28, when the case will be mentioned for further directions to be given.
Detectives are expected to inform the court of the outcome of the investigation in which CCTV footage will also be analysed.
SEVERE INJURIES
Ms Murage’s body was discovered on the morning of July 17 in a flower bed outside Santonia Courts by workers at the property.
The residential area is manned round-the-clock by a private security company.
An autopsy report indicated that she suffered head injuries inflicted by a blunt object and was sexually assaulted before she was killed.
The body also had physical injuries on the back and blood was oozing from the nose when it was found. There were also bruises around the wrist and the clothes were torn.
Preliminary investigations found that an identified group of people were drinking and having fun in a house in the area before the incident took place.
The three suspects were arrested as they attended the party, which took place in Ms Ng’eno's house.
