A Thika Law Courts Tuesday granted an application by police to detain the prime suspect in the murder of 19-year-old Mount Kenya University student Faith Musembi.
David Kioko, 25, appeared before Thika Chief Magistrate Phillip Mutua on Tuesday where the Investigating Officer (IO) Oscar Limo sought a 21-day detention period to complete ongoing investigations into the murder.
Kioko is accused of killing the university student, whose lifeless body was discovered in her rented room at Pilot Estate on May 8, 2024.
Limo informed the court that police require additional time to conduct another autopsy on the deceased’s body and collect samples to determine the DNA composition of her unborn foetus.
He also mentioned that the officers plan to assess the suspect’s mental state and record witness statements.
Limo added that detectives are still working to recover the deceased’s mobile phone which will be later subjected to forensic analysis.
He however noted that police have successfully recovered the deceased’s SIM card which was used to ask for ransom from her parents before she was killed.
The magistrate granted the application on grounds that it is a matter of public interest, but stated that the suspect be detained for 14 days at the Thika Police Station.
Police say they want to establish if he acted alone.
The slain first-year student was eight months pregnant at the time of her death.
Her lifeless body was discovered last week by her father in her rented room.
The family of the deceased had suspected the involvement of the suspect in the murder of Faith.
An autopsy conducted at the Thika General Kago Funeral Home, where the girl’s body is lying, indicated that she succumbed due to excessive bleeding.
The report indicated that she had bleeding in the uterus caused by abruptio placenta (the placenta had detached itself leading to excessive bleeding).
The woman’s body was discovered by her father Boniface Musembi in her rented room at Pilot Estate within Hospital Ward in Thika.
He told journalists on Friday May 10 that they received a call on Wednesday May 8 from an unknown individual demanding a ransom of Sh20,000 for the release of their daughter.
The caller was using the deceased’s phone, he added.
Musembi said that his wife hurriedly sent the money for the sake of their daughter’s safety, as he left for Thika to pursue the matter.
He reported the matter at Thika Police Station, but said that the officers allegedly downplayed the matter and dismissed it as a trick-game by the deceased, her friends or her boyfriend. It turned out she had died over claims of infidelity.
