A Nyeri court has allowed homicide detectives 21 more days to detain the prime suspect in the murder of 25-year-old shoe seller Joy Kanini, allowing investigators additional time to complete inquiries into the killing that shocked the country.
Senior Resident Magistrate Mary Gituma issued the order after the prosecution argued that investigators were yet to recover the victim's missing head and neck, reconstruct the crime scene, trace key witnesses and complete crucial forensic examinations.
State Prosecutor Ms Mukara had sought permission to hold the suspect, John Muriithi Nderitu, for 24 days, arguing that he posed a flight risk and could interfere with witnesses if released.
"The application is premised on eight grounds. We are setting forth compelling reasons as to why the suspect should be held for 24 days. They can be summarised into three: he is a flight risk, there is a high probability that he will interfere with witnesses, and a number of investigation steps are yet to be completed," she told the court.
The case attracted widespread public attention after Kanini's mutilated torso was discovered on the morning of June 11 at Ngangarithi Estate in Nyeri Town. The body, missing its limbs, neck and head, had been stuffed into a sack and left outside the fence of the suspect's home.
Police records show that on the same day, Muriithi, also known as Tizo, reported Kanini missing at Nyeri Central Police Station and contacted her parents to inform them of her disappearance. He later accompanied the family to the police station to help search for her before allegedly fleeing.
A search conducted by detectives and Kanini's relatives on June 17 led to the recovery of the victim's limbs from a six-foot pit latrine at Muriithi's homestead. A post-mortem examination established that she died from excessive bleeding.
The suspect remained on the run for more than a month before detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested him on July 10 along the Nanyuki-Isiolo road. Investigators believe he was attempting to flee to Uganda.
Sergeant Rhoda Nzioka of the DCI Homicide Investigations Division told the court detectives still needed the suspect's assistance to recover the victim's missing head and neck, revisit the crime scene for reconstruction and identify other people believed to have participated in the killing.
"We would like to conduct a medical examination and at the same time, DNA sampling on the suspect. This is to allow the government chemist to conclude DNA cross-matching and toxicology tests and also for the DCI lab to process the deceased person's phone, which was recovered during the arrest of the suspect," she said.
The investigating officer also said detectives were yet to trace key witnesses, complete a mandatory mental assessment on the suspect and investigate possible defence and assault injuries after preliminary findings suggested a struggle had occurred before the killing.
In her ruling, Magistrate Gituma said the prosecution had presented sufficient grounds to justify continued detention. Although she reduced the requested detention period from 24 days to 21, she ruled that the seriousness of the offence and the need for thorough investigations outweighed the suspect's right to immediate release.
"Considering the nature of the offence being investigated and the investigations that need to be thoroughly done in order to mount a case, I will allow the application; however, the period of extension will be 21 days," she ruled.
Muriithi will remain in custody at Kiganjo Police Station until August 4, when the case will be mentioned in court.