Prime suspect in Velvine Nungari's suspected murder held 10 more days

 

The prime suspect in the suspected murder of a waitress based in Kahawa West will remain in police custody for 10 more days as the investigation continues.

Joseph Kinyua Murimi, 33, is the main suspect in the death of 23-year-old Velvine Nungari Kinyanjui, who was an employee at Ruiru’s Destiny Park.

Mr Kinyua was arrested by Kiamumbi police shortly after a February 23 incident in which it is believed that Ms Nungari was sexually assaulted and left for dead.

In a statement published on Twitter on Friday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspect claimed he met Ms Nungari two days earlier.

Movements

On the fateful day, he picked her up at Kirigiti before they proceeded to Q West restaurant in Kahawa West.

The DCI said that after some time at Q West, the two went to a restaurant identified as Kijito along Kamiti Road and later checked into 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,” the DCI said, adding that a bar attendant said in a statement that the suspect left about one and a half hours later.

The detectives said Mr Kinyua told the barman that he left Ms Nanguri in the room to rest as she was exhausted and that he couldn't spend the night out since he was married. The room was left unlocked.

The DCI said that Mr Kinyua, a salesman who trades in assorted spare parts, then drove to his home but took Ms Nungari’s phone with him.

Ms Nungari reportedly called a friend from the hotel the next day, requesting her to go there with another person and help take her to hospital.

The two friends used a taxi to take her to the Kenyatta University hospital in a taxi and then reported the incident to police.

Kinyua arrested

Mr Kinyua was arrested shortly after the incident. Police officers took him to a Kiambu court and sought to hold him for five days as they probed the matter.

After that period, he was charged with rape and released on Sh100,000 cash bail.

However, Ms Nungari died on March 9 at the hospital, where she had received treatment for spine-related complications and cervical fractures for several days.

Her death prompted police to arearrest Mr Kinyua.

“A pathologist who conducted her autopsy on March 11 [filed] a report [stating that she] developed compression fractures on her vertebral column, before [dying due to the] collapse of the lungs,” the DCI said.

The pathologist said in a statement that he had collected more of Ms Nungari's samples for testing and that the results would take time.

Homicide unit takes over

Detectives based in Kiamumbi took over the case on March 12 from officers at Kiamumbi Police Station.

"Seeking custodial orders, the detectives were allowed six days to hold the suspect, to allow fresh interrogations and [the creation] of a murder file," the DCI said.

They sought extra time to hold the suspect they unearthed new information over the period.

In court on Friday, Kiambu Chief Magistrate Patriciah Gichohi allowed the detectives to hold the suspect for 10 more days as they continue to gather evidence and complete investigations surrounding Ms Nungari’s death.

"The detectives were granted the extended time before presenting the suspect to plead to the murder charges,” the DCI said.

The case file was on Friday afternoon handed over to the DCI's homicide unit.

Ms Nungari was buried at her rural home in Sabasaba, Murang’a County, on Wednesday. The public has been pushing for justice for her using Twitter hashtag #JusticeForVesh.  BY DAILY NATION