Detectives in Kisumu have recovered the decomposing body of a 21-year-old RIAT College student in Riat Forest, days after she was reported missing, in a case that has shocked residents and sparked renewed concern over violent crime.
Police say the victim was allegedly lured into a drinking spree, drugged, sexually assaulted and abandoned, with prime suspect Steven Coleman Okoth now in custody.
Authorities have since launched a manhunt for additional suspects as investigations into the brutal killing continue.
According to investigators, the body bearing stab wounds was discovered by detectives from Kisumu West Sub-County, working alongside officers from Maseno Police Station and Riat Police Post, following the suspect’s earlier arrest.
The incident is reported to have occurred on the night of April 5, 2026, in Kisumu’s Milimani area. What initially appeared to be a routine communication breakdown quickly turned into a nightmare after the victim’s sister raised alarm over failed phone calls.
Her fears were confirmed when a distressing message finally came through. “She had been lured into a drinking spree by two male colleagues… leaving her incapacitated,” detectives revealed, adding that “in her vulnerable state, she was sexually assaulted and later abandoned in a bush in critical condition.”
Before any help could reach her, the victim’s phone went offline, complicating efforts to trace her location.
A painstaking investigation, supported by forensic analysis, led detectives to her last known location near Kenya Wildlife Service offices in Milimani, though initial searches proved unsuccessful.
Breakthrough came after identifying Okoth, believed to be the victim’s former boyfriend, who had reportedly issued threats to her over the past two months.
“He had been spotted with the heavily drugged lady that evening,” police said.
At the time of his arrest, detectives recovered crucial exhibits now aiding the ongoing probe. Okoth is being processed for arraignment, as security agencies intensify efforts to track down his accomplices.