Kiambu murders: Lawrence Warunge, his girlfriend held 14 days

A Kiambu court on Monday allowed police to detain Lawrence Njoroge Warunge and his girlfriend Sarah Muthoni for 14 days pending investigations into the gruesome murder of four family members and a farmhand.

Chief Magistrate Patricia Gichohi’s order followed a miscellaneous application by investigating officer Peter Kamau, from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ homicide department.

Mr Kamau told the court that he needed more time for the probe as the case is complex and requires movement from location to location.

He also noted that several witnesses with crucial evidence, among them friends and relatives of the accused, are yet to be interviewed  and to record statements.

Mr Kamau further spoke of the need for the accused to undergo mental examination checks that will determine whether they are fit to stand trial.

The court was also told that Lawrence and Ms Muthoni are a flight risk, given they fled after the heinous crimes were committed and were only arrested last week.

Sisters at risk

The investigating officer hinged his request on several anecdotes in the young man’s confession.

He noted that Lawren, a 22-year-old IT student at  Mount Kenya University, must be detained because he said he aimed to kill all his family members, including two of his siblings who narrowly escaped death thanks to the reopening of schools on January 4.

Mr Kamau said the two will be in danger if the suspect is released.

Lawrence  and his girlfriend were arrested on the night of January 8 in Lower Kabete and Thika, respectively.

He is the prime suspect in the murder of his father Nicholas Njoroge Warunge, his mother Ann Wanjiku, their adopted nephew Maxwell Njenga, his brother Christian Njenga Njoroge and farmhand James Kinyajui Wambaa on the night of January 5 in Karura Village, Kiambu County.

Demeanour

Inside the courtroom, both suspects appeared relaxed.

Ms Muthoni had a chat with detectives before the magistrate walked into the courtroom to hear an application to detain the couple pending investigations.

Lawrence’s grey jacket, black T-shirt, blue jeans and black rubber shoes cut the image of a young man who is stylish, but likes to keep it simple.

Unlike his girlfriend, he stood calmly in the dock and did not bother to hide from journalists scrambling to take his photographs.

When the magistrate asked the two if they had anything to say, they told her they understood the charges read to them.

While granting the request by police, the chief magistrate said she considered the gravity of the offences.

Lawrence will be detained at Gigiri Police Station while Muthoni will be held at Muthaiga Police Station.

Detailed probe

For the past four days, detectives and the public have been wondering whether Lawrence's confession of kiling his family is accurate. 

They will spend the next 14 days interrogating friends, relatives and people who interacted with Lawrence in the month leading to his arrest. 

While Lawrence and Ms Muthoni are the only suspects whose identities detectives have revealed to the public, Mr Kamau hinted that other people are involved.

In requesting for more time to investigate the murders, Mr Kamau told the court that the DCI is yet to extract DNA samples from Lawrence and Muthoni “for comparison and analysis with other suspects”.

To prove his confession, Lawrence led detectives to a pit latrine in Maai Mahiu where several blood-stained weapons, now evidence, were dumped, wrapped in a white polythene bag. 

The case will be mentioned on January 25.

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