Socialite Starlet Wahu bled to death, autopsy reveals

Starlet Wahu Mwangi

Starlet Wahu Mwangi whose body was found at an apartment in South B, Nairobi.

Photo credit: Pool

Socialite Scarlet Wahu, who was brutally murdered in an Airbnb apartment in South B, Nairobi County on January 3, died of excessive bleeding.

A post-mortem conducted on Friday on the body of the socialite, who was buried at her family home in Kamulu, Machakos County, on Saturday, revealed that she had bled to death.

Wahu, who is also the younger sister of preacher Victor Kanyari, was in the company of Mr John Matara, the prime suspect in the murder.

Makadara police boss Judith Nyongesa said police had established that the woman bled to death.

"The suspect cut the woman's vein that connects to the heart, which is why she died faster. There was nothing we could do to save her life," Ms Nyongesa said.

Detectives investigating the case have received another complainant who claimed that Mr Matara had locked her in an Airbnb and demanded money while torturing her.

Wahu was buried on Saturday at her family home in Kamulu, Machakos County, in a ceremony attended only by family members.

At least neighbours were able to see the body before the gates were closed. 

"I am heartbroken, she was doing so well in life. We last saw each other on Christmas and December 31. We spent time together at home. We had never seen the man before. We found out about him after she died. It is so tragic for us, the family and even her friends. May her soul rest in peace," said Mr Kanyari.

Nation.Africa has established that the funeral lasted three hours. 

Looking at her social media accounts, one thing remains constant, Ms Wahu was always happy and hanging out with friends, all captured in a series of posts she used to share with the public.

By the end of 2023, she seemed to be a woman on a mission to make things better than they were before. In one of her Facebook posts, she said that the bad choices one made in the past do not necessarily reflect who one is now.

“Your bad choices defined you yesterday but they are not who you are today. Your future does not have to travel the same path with the same people. You can start over,” she posted on Facebook,  60 days before her tragic death.

 As she was laid to rest, Mr John Matara, 34, the man last seen with Ms Wahu when she was alive, was at the Industrial Area Police Station being questioned in connection with the socialite's gruesome murder.

Two other women have already come forward to accuse Mr Matara of assaulting them at Airbnbs in different parts of the city.