Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of Kariokor Market shoe trader Paul Mwangangi in Nairobi, after detectives tracked them to a hideout in Kayole and recovered a bloodstained Maasai sword believed to be linked to the fatal attack.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) identified the suspects as Joseph Kimani Ndungu, alias Bajong, and Peter Kimani Githinji, alias Denoo. Their arrest followed an intelligence-led operation involving detectives drawn from several investigative units.
Mwangangi was reportedly attacked and stabbed along Landhies Road, opposite the Muthurwa Market footbridge, on October 12, 2026. The circumstances leading to the incident remain unclear, with investigators now seeking to establish what happened before the trader was killed.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the DCI said officers who arrived at the scene found Mwangangi lying face down with a fresh stab wound to the chest.
“The victim, Paul Mwangangi, was reportedly stabbed along Landhies Road, opposite the Muthurwa Market footbridge, on October 12, 2026. Officers who rushed to the scene found the trader lying face down, with a fresh stab wound to the chest,” the agency stated.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) detectives examined and documented the scene, collecting and preserving potential evidence that could help investigators piece together the events surrounding the trader's death.
Following the initial examination, Mwangangi's body was taken to City Mortuary, where it was placed in preservation as arrangements were made for an autopsy to establish the medical circumstances of his death.
The investigation was subsequently taken up by detectives from DCI Central and Kamukunji, who worked alongside officers from the Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Office to identify and track down the suspects.
According to the DCI, information gathered during the investigation led detectives to a hideout in Kayole, where the two men were arrested.
“In a determined follow-up operation, detectives from DCI Central and Kamukunji, working alongside their counterparts from the Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Office, acted on actionable intelligence and trailed the suspects to a hideout in Kayole, where they were arrested,” the statement read.
After their arrest, the suspects were escorted to Kamukunji Police Station, where they were placed in custody as detectives continued investigating the killing ahead of their expected arraignment in court.
The agency did not reveal what may have triggered the attack or whether the suspects knew the deceased before the incident. Investigators are expected to establish the events that preceded the stabbing and determine the alleged roles of the two men in the killing.
A key part of the investigation is the bloodstained Maasai sword recovered by detectives. Investigators suspect the weapon may have been used in the attack and have secured it as an exhibit for forensic examination.
“Detectives recovered a Maasai sword bearing bloodstains, suspected to have been used in the killing. The weapon has been secured as an exhibit for further forensic examination,” the DCI maintained.
The forensic tests are expected to help establish whether the recovered weapon is connected to Mwangangi's death and whether it can provide evidence to support the investigation. The planned autopsy is also expected to shed further light on the injuries that led to the trader's death.
The DCI said it would continue pursuing leads to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and extended its condolences to Mwangangi's family, friends and colleagues following his death.
The agency also appealed to members of the public who may have information relevant to the investigation to come forward and assist detectives. Anyone with useful information can report anonymously through the DCI's toll-free number, 0800 722 203, or via WhatsApp on 0709 570 000.
The arrests come against the backdrop of reported criminal activity in Nairobi, which continues to account for a substantial number of cases handled by police across the country.
Data published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) in its Economic Survey 2025 showed that Nairobi recorded 9,717 criminal cases in 2024, down from 11,108 cases reported in 2023.
At the national level, the National Police Service Annual Report 2024 recorded 3,015 homicide cases in 2024, compared with 3,031 the previous year.
Although the figures provide a wider picture of crime reported in Kenya, they do not establish any connection between Mwangangi's killing and other incidents recorded in Nairobi or elsewhere.
The two suspects remain in custody as detectives continue gathering evidence, with further investigations expected to help establish the circumstances of the fatal stabbing before the case proceeds to court.