Love message used to lure suspect in Uhuru Kenyatta's kin murder
Mr John Shegu in the witness box on October 1, 2014, when he testified in the case against five suspects accused of killing lawyer Rose Wathiru Waruinge at her residence in Kilimani estate on February 10, 2012. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A love message was used as a bait to lure a suspect in the gangland-style killing of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s niece who was shot dead at her home in a Nairobi upmarket estate, a detective told a trial court on Wednesday.
Investigation officer John Shegu recounted how he traced the deceased’s stolen mobile phone barely 40 minutes after he took over the investigation and arrested the first suspect.
He was testifying in the case of five men held over the killing of lawyer Ms Rose Waruinge on February 10, 2012.
Mr Shegu told the court how he visited the crime scene in the Kilimani area, on George Padmore Road, and found that the thugs killed Ms Waruinge while she lay on her bed reading a bible.
The thugs also held the family hostage and molested daughters and guests of the deceased, the witness said.
STOLEN PHONE
Ms Rose Wathiru Waruinge, who was killed at her house on George Padmore Road in Kilimani. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Mr Shegu said the lawyer’s phone, which had been stolen during the incident, was recovered in a frantic search and helped in tracing all the suspects he later charged with the offence of violent robbery and handling stolen property.
“The phone was monitored and it showed that it had been turned off in (the) Ngara area, where the getaway vehicle, also stolen from the lawyer’s home, was found abandoned," Mr Shegu said.
He said information from a mobile phone service provider showed that the phone was being used by the first suspect, Mr Paul Kiluki Maluku, within the Kamukunji area.
“I proceeded to Kamukunji and tried to call the suspect, but he refused to answer. We called several times and he did not respond. Then I decided to lure him into a trap,” the detective said.
He said he used a policewoman, identified as Constable Momanyi, to send the suspect a love message, which he promptly responded to only to walk into an ambush.
NIGHT GUARDS
Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) leaves Nairobi Pentecostal Church on Valley Road on February 17, 2012 after attending a requiem service for the late Rose Waruinge. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The court heard that after the arrest of Mr Maluku, his SIM card was found to have called Mr Mutua Nzioka and Mr John Masila from the stolen phone.
Interrogation soon followed and the suspects implicated their alleged accomplices, Mr Alex Mwendwa and Mr Aggrey Musina, who worked as a night guard at Ms Waruinge’s home.
Mr Shegu said the guards left the home alongside the thugs after the attack.
"We discovered that he was among the assailants who attacked the late lawyer," he said, and added that the five suspects on trial were later “positively identified” in a parade where their victims picked them out.
The court heard that the thugs sped off in the family's car and also made away with a TV set worth Sh90,000.
Mr Shegu was testifying before Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndwiga at the Milimani Law Courts and was led in his evidence by state counsel Susan Kuruga.
The hearing continues on October 3.
