Detectives in Kirinyaga East have apprehended two prime suspects linked to the brutal murder of a 72-year-old woman whose body was found abandoned in a secluded thicket in Kegua village, Kerugoya East Sub-County.
The victim, Margaret Wandauma Maina, was found dead on December 14th, 2025, following a tip-off from a concerned member of the public who reported seeing an unidentified female body in a thicket.
Responding swiftly, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, finding the deceased half-naked, having visible injuries to her forehead, suggesting that she may have been assaulted before her death.
A thorough search at the scene led to the recovery of several personal items believed to belong to the deceased, including a duplicate ID card, an Equity ATM card, and an Itel mobile phone.
The body was then taken to Kibugi Funeral Home for preservation and autopsy to establish the exact cause of her death.
Preliminary investigations carried out by the detectives revealed that Wandauma was last seen at Muthigiini Shopping Centre on the evening of December 13, 2025.
According to the witnesses, she had been at Rome bar where she left at around 5:40 pm but never made it back home, raising concern among family members and residents.
Following the discovery, detectives swiftly launched an intensive manhunt for the suspects and acting on intelligence and forensic analysis, the police arrested two suspects identified as James Njiru Murimi (a 42-year-old) and his accomplice, Peter Mbogo Wanjerina (a 35-year-old).
Although the investigations into the murder of Wandauma are still underway to establish the motive behind the act, the police strongly believe that the duo played a key role in the murder, and authorities have yet to rule out robbery or a personal dispute as possible lines of inquiry.
The suspects are currently being held in police custody as they undergo processing ahead of their arraignment in court.
Law enforcement officers have condemned the killing and urged members of the public to collaborate with police officers by providing any information that would be helpful in the investigations.
