Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza’s son and brother are among five suspects arrested for the murder of slain Meru blogger Daniel Muthiani alias Sniper.
The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has filed an application seeking to detain five other suspects for the murder of Meru blogger Daniel Muthiani alias Sniper.
In an application filed at Kiambu Magistrate Court, the DCI wants Kenneth Mutua, Fredrick Muriuki, Frankline Kimathi, Timothy Kinoti and Murangiri Kenneth detained for 21 days at Muthaiga Police Station to enable the DCI sleuths to conclude investigations.
The five suspects were arrested on 4thJanuary in Meru County with the investigation officials booking them in various police stations in Kiambu and Nairobi County.
“That from the time the respondents were arrested and the time to conclude the investigations has not been adequate and the applicant requires 21 days to enable the conclusion of the investigations while the respondent are in police custody,” the application read.
According to the application, the five suspects lured the Meru blogger through a phone call that Meru Governor Mwangaza whom he was criticizing politically wanted to meet him for a truce.
The deceased travelled from his home in Igembe South to meet the five suspects in Meru town and thereafter went missing prompting his family to raise alarm.
The Meru blogger was reported missing on December 2, 2023, and his body was found dumped in Mutonga River in Tharaka Nithi County on December 16, 2023.
A postmortem examination conducted by government pathologist Johansen Oduor at the Marimanti Level 4 Hospital Mortuary in Tharaka Nithi, Meru County revealed that he died after being strangled on the neck.
Sniper’s body had marks on his neck , he had fractured ribs and showed injuries on his head which suggested that he was strangled and he exhibited signs of a person who had lacked oxygen.
Already Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has sought 21 days to hold Vincent Kirimi alias Supuu, the main suspect in the murder of Meru blogger Sniper.
According to a statement from the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the Inspector General of Police has also been given seven days to forward the murder inquiry file.
Supuu was re-arrested days after the Meru-based court quashed the application by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) seeking custodial orders on suspicion of abduction.
The court instead granted the suspect bail and set the application for mention on 5th January 2024.
The Chief Magistrate handed the suspect a Sh20,000.00 bail and ordered him to report to the police station every 14 days.
“The DPP has directed that Miscellaneous Application E166 of 2023 filed at Maua Law Courts be withdrawn forthwith,” the ODPP stated.
Currently, the ODPP has constituted a Team of Senior Prosecutors to guide the investigations to ensure the prosecution that the perpetrators shall be held liable irrespective of their status in society.
The Renson Ingonga led office might be looking into crime alongside other offences as he has directed the Inspector General of the National Police Service to forward the resultant Murder Inquiry File to his Office within Seven days.
“Upon receipt the Murder Inquiry File, the DPP undertakes to review the facts and evidence contained therein in line with the Constitution of Kenya, the ODPP Decision to Charge Guidelines of 2019 together with the relevant laws and issue appropriate directions,” ODPP said.
