NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 15 — Police in Kirinyaga County have arrested two key suspects in connection with the brutal murder of a 72-year-old woman whose body was found dumped in a thicket in Kerugoya East Sub-County.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations detectives from Kirinyaga East apprehended the suspects following an intensive manhunt aided by forensic leads.
The deceased, identified as Margaret Wandauma Maina, was discovered on December 14, 2025, in a secluded thicket in Kegua village, Kirinyaga East.
The grim discovery was made after a concerned member of the public alerted authorities upon spotting the body of an unidentified woman.
“Responding swiftly, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene to find the deceased half-naked, with visible injuries to her forehead,” DCI said.
Several personal items were recovered at the scene, including her duplicate national identity card, an ATM card, and an mobile phone.
The body was moved to Kibugi Funeral Home, where it is being preserved pending a post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
According to preliminary investigations, Wandauma was last seen alive on December 13, 2025, at Muthigiini Shopping Centre.
She had been at the Rome Bar and reportedly left the establishment at around 5:40 pm, after which she never returned home.
Following the discovery of her body, detectives launched a manhunt that led to the arrest of James Njiru Murimi, 42, and his alleged accomplice Peter Mbogo Wanjerina, 35.
DCI said the suspects were arrested after investigators followed forensic and intelligence-led clues.
The duo are expected to be arraigned in court once investigations are completed, as police continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Authorities have urged members of the public to continue cooperating with security agencies by sharing information that may aid ongoing investigations.
