Kiambu Law Courts have granted police offers permission to detain a man believed to have raped and killed one Velvine Nungari Kinyanjui, for further investigations.
Joseph Kinyua Murimi, the prime suspect was arrested after witnesses pinned him to be the last person who saw Velvine in good health.
Reportedly, the suspect claimed to have met Velvine two days before their February 23 date.
Kinyua had allegedly picked Velvine at Kirigiti, before the two proceeded to Q West restaurant in Kahawa West for some drinks. After some time, they moved to another restaurant (Kijito) along Kamiti Road, then to Sinnot Hotel where they booked a room.
Officers from Kiamumbi Police Station gathered that the two had been captured on cctv cameras at the restaurant’s reception, collecting the key to their room at around 9pm.
A bar attendant whose statement was recorded stated to have ushered out the suspect at around 10.30pm, an hour and a half after the two entered their room.
Allegedly, Kinyua had told the barman that he had left Velvine in the unlocked room to rest as she was exhausted, and that he (Kinyua) couldn’t spend the night out since he was married.
The following day in the afternoon (Feb 24), Velvine had called a female friend from the hotel requesting her to go along with another person to help her get to hospital.
Velvine’s friends took her to Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital in a cab, before proceeding to report the incident to the police.
Velvine was treated for spine related complications & cervical fractures for several days.
Acting on the report, Kiamumbi police arrested the suspect, seeking custodial orders for 5 days which were granted by the Kiambu court. Thereafter, Kinyua was charged with Rape, & released on sh 100,000 cash bail.
Sadly, on March 9, Velvine passed on at the hospital. She had been an employee at Ruiru’s Destiny Park.
A pathologist who conducted her autopsy on March 11, made a report of her having developed compression fractures on her vertebral column, before succumbing to collapse of the lungs.
However, Dr Kimani (the pathologist) said he had collected more samples to run histological and toxicology tests, which would take some time before getting the results.
DCI detectives based in Kiamumbi then took over the case on March 12 and rearrested the suspect.
Seeking custodial orders, the detectives were allowed 6 days to hold the suspect, to allow fresh interrogations and compile a Murder file.
