Seventh suspect seized in killings of Nakuru women
Suspects in the Mawanga murders in Nakuru City: Julius Otieno, Josphat Simiyu, Dennis Mmbolo, Isaac Kinyanjui and Makhoha Wanjala are taken to court yesterday. They were detained for 14 more days pending mental assessments and DNA testing.
Homicide detectives have arrested a seventh suspect linked to brutal killings of women in Mawanga, Bahati, Nakuru County.
The suspect, identified as Kelvin Otieno Omondi, alias Fredrick Okoth Odongo, was arrested on Saturday in Mayanja, Bungoma County.
Police said Mr Omondi, suspected to be one of the ring leaders of the dreaded Confirm gang that was involved in raping and killing women before setting their bodies on fire, had been on the run.
Mr Anthony Sunguti, Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer in charge of the Nakuru County office, confirmed the arrest and said the suspect’s movement and mobile phone analysis placed him at the scenes of the crimes.
“Investigations on his movements and an analysis of his phone … place him at the centre of the horrible murders. He had, however, escaped to Bungoma County when the police launched a manhunt for the suspects,” he said.
Mr Omondi’s arrest came two weeks after six of his suspected accomplices were seized – Evans Michori Kebwaro, Julius Otieno, Josephat Simiyu, Joseph Mmbolo, Isaac Kinyanjui and Makokha Wanjala.
Suspected mastermind
Mr Kebwaro, the suspected mastermind in the killings, was smoked out of his hiding in Masimba, Kisii County, on July 1 before the other five gang members were rounded up in Nakuru’s Kivumbini estate.
The suspects are linked to seven murders, including that of Grace Wanjiku, 20, who was burnt beyond recognition in a house in Kiamaina on June 24, and Susan Wambui, whose body was found in her bedroom after neighbours put out a fire in her house and rescued her three-year-old daughter on June 21.
The suspects were also said to be behind the murder of Diana Opicho, 23, whose body was found in her house in Mawanga.
Postmortems on the bodies of the three women indicated that they had been raped before being murdered.
A court allowed police to detain the six suspects for 14 days to conclude their investigations.
Mr Omondi, who is being held at the Central Police Station in Nakuru, will be arraigned today (Monday).
