DCI arrests five suspects over Tharaka Nithi double murder

DCI detectives have arrested five suspects linked to a brutal double murder and attempted killings in Tonto Village, Tharaka Nithi County.

The suspects are accused of storming a homestead armed with firearms and crude weapons, killing two people and seriously injuring two others. Police say forensic analysis and intelligence-led operations were key to cracking the case.

In a statement on Wednesday by the DCI, the suspects were linked to a brutal attack carried out on May 21, 2026, in which armed assailants stormed a homestead, leaving two people dead and two others seriously injured.

The Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) took over investigations due to the severity of the incident, launching a coordinated probe that led to multiple arrests between June 4 and June 8.

In a detailed account of the incident, detectives highlighted that the attackers struck at around 9:00 p.m., unleashing violence on residents in a carefully planned assault.

“A team of detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) have arrested five suspects in connection with a horrifying incident that occurred on May 21, 2026, in Tonto Village, Kamwimbi Location, Tharaka Nithi County, where a gang armed with firearms and crude weapons descended upon a homestead, leaving two people dead and two others fighting for their lives,” the statement explained.

Police reported that the attackers first targeted a man at the entrance of the homestead before proceeding deeper into the compound, where they killed an elderly woman.

“At approximately 9:00 p.m., the attackers stormed the homestead, unleashing chaos as they fatally assaulted a man at the entrance. In a brazen display of violence, the assailants fired several shots into the air to intimidate nearby residents before they advanced deeper into the compound, where they ruthlessly took the life of an elderly woman,” the statement added.

Two other victims survived the attack but sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Following the incident, detectives from CRIB Headquarters launched what they described as an intensive intelligence-led investigation supported by forensic analysis.

“Owing to the grave nature of the incident, detectives from CRIB Headquarters swiftly took over the investigation, embarking on an intensive intelligence-led operation. Through meticulous detective work and forensic analysis, they began to unearth the identities of several suspects believed to be directly connected to this horrific attack,” the statement elaborated.

The operation led to the arrest of five suspects identified as Benson Mugendi Patrick, Kibet Collins Kemboi, Wilson Kinyua Nyaga, Josphat Nyaga Njue, and Joseph Kinyua Njeru, also known as Maruu.

Preliminary investigations point to a carefully planned criminal conspiracy, with forensic evidence playing a central role in linking the suspects to the attack.

The suspects remain in custody as they undergo processing ahead of arraignment in court, while detectives continue pursuing additional suspects believed to have participated in the killings.

The DCI reiterated its commitment to ensuring all individuals involved in the attack are arrested and prosecuted as investigations continue.