Police have obtained court orders to detain the third suspect in the murder case of the National Land Commission (NLC) official Jennifer Wambua for another 14 days to facilitate completion of investigations into the homicide.
A Kiambu court granted the prosecution to hold Peter Njenga, alias Sankale under custody at Muthaiga police station pending forensic examination that could help unravel the murder mystery.
The latest suspect was arrested on 9th April 2021 after police found that he was in possession of crucial information that could nail the killers of the late Wambua who was a deputy director at the commission at the time of her demise.
According to a miscellaneous application number E153 of 2021 sworn by Police Constable Vincent Langat, several exhibits among them, mobile phones were recovered and forwarded to the relevant experts for forensic analysis.
He told Kiambu Chief Magistrate Ms. Patricia Gichohi during a virtual proceeding that the sleuths in the homicide case were awaiting DNA analysis from the Government Chemist for comparison with those of suspects being held over the murder.
According to the Affidavit, a preliminary report by the cyber-crime expert in relation to the mobile phone handset recovered from the suspect during his arrest it was established that the mobile handset belonged to the deceased who was violently robbed off cash and other personal effects.
He further noted that a prospective witness picked the suspect during an identification parade at Muthaiga Police station from where he was implicated of being part of the gang that robbed and raped victims while armed with a machete.
PC Langat attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI )asked the court to grant him 14 more days to conclude the probe
“We were not able to complete Investigations during the 14 days granted because the DNA test sent to Government Chemist should be ready by 30th April 2021. Buccal swabs were obtained from the suspect on 13th April 2021 and immediately forwarded to the government chemist for analysis and comparison with the other relevant exhibits in the case. DNA analysis is crucial to determine the outcome of the matter” said Mr. Langat.
The investigator further said that the suspect had other criminal cases, some of which were still under investigation.
The affidavit states that further check-in the criminal profile data record indicated that the suspect had previous criminal records which were pending in court with some dating back to 1996 including cases of robbery with violence, stealing, housebreaking, and rape.
When given a chance to plead his case, the suspect complained that the 14 more days should not be increased because he was suffering in custody where he told the court that he was being made to sleep on cement, he had not changed his clothes or bathed, and that he was suffering from malaria.
The other suspects Benjamin Saitoti and David Sempan were arraigned before court on 23rd April 2021 during which the court allowed the investigators to detain them at the police station for 10 days.
The Prosecution represented by Ms. Christine Mbevi added that they will talk to the Investigating officer so that the suspect can be accorded for treatment while in custody.
Chief Magistrate Patricia Gichohi directed the suspect to remain in custody and receive treatment and set the mention date on 10th May 2021.
By Lydia Shiloya and Velma Mukhwana
