Post-mortem reveals how Caroline Wanjiku was killed

Rose Maina

Rose Maina speaks to journalists at Kenyatta University Funeral Home on February 24, 2021 on the post-mortem results of her sister, Caroline Wanjiku Maina, whose body was found dumped in Kajiado after being abducted in Nairobi.

Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group

A post-mortem on the body of slain businesswoman Caroline Wanjiku Maina has revealed that she succumbed to effects of blunt force trauma inflicted on both her forehead and back.

Her family said the exercise also revealed that she suffered injuries on her left hip, hand and wrist.

"We have been briefed as a family and are satisfied with the results of the post-mortem. She died out of head injuries after being hit at the forehead and the back. She also had bruises on her hip and her eyes were not gouged out as previously thought owing to it being partially decomposed. They were still there," Rose Thogori, Caroline's elder sister said.

Caroline Wanjiku Maina

Caroline Wanjiku Maina, the 38-year-old Nairobi businesswoman who was kidnapped and murdered by unknown assailants on February 12. 2021.

Photo credit: Pool | Nation Media Group

Specimen from the deceased’s blood, liver and kidney, vaginal swabs, stomach content and nail clippings were also picked for further testing.

The exercise was carried out by Dr Charles Muturi on behalf of chief government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor at the Kenyatta Memorial Funeral Home. The slain businesswoman will be buried on Friday at her parents’ home in Kangari, Murang'a County.

Ms Wanjiku, a former banker at Co-operative Bank in Embu, was lured into a trap and kidnapped after being promised that she would be assisted in boosting her Stima Sacco shares after withdrawing Sh350,000 from her bank account at Co-operative Bank’s Stima Plaza branch on the afternoon of February 12. She then proceeded to meet up with one of her abductors and her ex-boyftiend at Ngara before disappearing.

Car dumped

Her car was found dumped at Gatina Primary School in Kawangware the following day and four suspects: Edwin Otieno Odiwuor, the victim's ex-boyfriend, Stevenson Oduor Ouma, Samwel Okoth Adinda and Mercy Gitiri Mongo, a former Director of Youth Affairs at Embu County Government, arrested.

On February 15, Ms Wanjiku’s partly decayed body was found dumped in a bush within Paranai area by herders and a bodaboda rider who informed the area chief, who then informed officers based at Kajiado police station.

A police report filed at the station indicated that the woman may have been killed elsewhere and the body dumped at the scene. 

Positively identified

On February 19, the body was positively identified as that of Ms Wanjiku by her sister Rose who had accompanied DCI detectives to Kajiado referral hospital’s mortuary where it had been kept waiting identification.

Ms Wanjiku, a former Limuru Girl’s High School student, later ventured into banking and worked at the Co-operative bank in Embu between 2010 and 2016.

In 2016, she quit to venture into real estate business.

“She was the most hardworking of all my sisters, jovial, trusting and would easily make friends. Sadly, she now leaves behind two children and a blossoming real estate company. As a family we have accepted what happened since we cannot revert it but we hope that justice gets to be served,” added Wanjiku’s sister Muthoni.