How ex-Nairobi ward rep plotted wife’s brutal murder

A former Nairobi MCA plotted the murder of his estranged wife two years ago at a restaurant along Thika Road, detectives told the High Court on Friday.

Detective Joseph Mutie said former Riruta Ward Rep Samuel Ndung’u plotted the murder of Lucy Njambi, 24, at Homeland Inn. The politician allegedly paid two men to execute the plan on January 26, 2018 along Kamiti Road, Kiambu County following domestic problems.

However, the killers did a shoddy job and Njambi later narrated to detectives at Kenyatta National Hospital what had transpired moments before she breathed her last.

CCTV footage showed Ndung’u and his co-accused Wilson Mwangi and Joyce Mungai in a meeting at the restaurant just two days before the plan, while phone data revealed a financial transaction between the politician and a lab technician for the purchase of sulphuric acid, which was later poured on Njambi’s body.

Ndung’u and Njambi lived together in Lavington until they separated. The woman moved to Thindigua in Kiambu with her son. Jealous that the estranged wife was seeing another man, Ndung’u also moved to Thindigua on December 28, 2017 to spy on her, the court heard. “Ndung’u subsequently relocated to Thindigua and rented an apartment, where he could closely monitor Njambi’s affairs. This was just one week after Njambi had rented hers within the said locality,” evidence submitted in court shows.

Constant communication

Investigating officers said during that period of desperation, Ndung’u met one Joyce Mungai. They would meet and share a drink at Kihunguro Shell Petrol Station and Kamakis Restaurant. Data expert Jonathan Limo said phone records between January 1, 2018 and January 26, 2018 showed how Ndung’u was in constant communication with other suspects.

On January 22, 2018 at about 11am, a lab technician at Potterhouse School in Runda, Benjamin Mburu, received a call from Joyce inquiring about sulphuric acid. He directed her to Science Lab along Accra Road and later called Ndung’u to confirm that he had facilitated the purchase of the acid.

On January 23, 2018, a day before the murder, Ndung’u sent Mburu Sh1,500 via MPesa. The next day, Ndung’u and Joyce later met with Mwangi and one ‘Njugush’ at Homeland Inn shortly before Njambi was attacked.

Earlier, Ndung’u had hired a motor vehicle registration number KBH 945N from businessman Mark Muthii Mbogo of Breeze Travellers in Riruta for Sh3,000 at 7.40pm, which was used by the killers. Ndung’u, Joyce, Mwangi and ‘Njugush’ drove to Quick Mart Supermarket, where the politician bought a packed meal and proceeded to Njambi’s apartment. Police suspect the food must have been laced with a sedative.

Picked the meal

“He (Samuel Ndung’u) called Lucy who walked out of her room to the car and picked the meal. She returned after a few minutes and joined Ndung’u in the car,” a detective said.

 As they left, Mwangi and ‘Njugush’ emerged and forced Njambi into another vehicle in an abduction witnessed by the caretaker and one of the tenants. They drove to Sasini Coffee Estate, where Njambi was allegedly undressed, raped, beaten up and sulphuric acid poured on her. They later dumped the vehicle at Kamiti Corner.

But they left before Njambi had died. Through pain, she made it to Kiambu/Kamiti corner and a Good Samaritan rushed her to Kiambu Level 5 Hospital and later to Kenyatta National Hospital, where she spoke to police officers. Ndung’u later told detectives that he had been abducted and tortured.

[email protected]