Jacque Maribe’s Fiancee Joseph Kuria Irungu has been placed at the centre of the murder scene that left 29 years old Monica Kimani slaughtered using a kitchen knife with her hands tied from the back and the body dumped in a bathtub.
Rigorous forensic phone exploitation, call data analysis and other phone exchanges supported by physical parading of the suspect for positive identification pinned Kuria as principal suspect although he denied knowing the deceased. Yesterday, Kuria recorded statements at the Kilimani Police Station CID offices for close to three hours then detained.
He was arrested at a residence at Royal park Apartments in Lang’ata that police described as a “family setting” at 4am then held in custody. Security guards, neighbours and call records proved Kuria was at Monica’s house, Luciane Apartments on Kitale Lane off Denis Pritt Road on the very material day she is suspected to have been murdered.
“We have a key suspect in custody by the name Joseph Kuria Irungu. The suspect was arrested today around 4am from a residence in Lang’ata. He did not resist arrest. We pulled him out from a residence that seems like a family setting.” Kilimani officer Commanding Police Division Michael Muchiri said.
Yesterday, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers attached to Kilimani and Lang’ata Division were coordinating in investigation alleged shooting of Kuria on the shoulder two days after the murder incident within Lang’ata area. However, police sources intimated they are investigating whether they claimed shooting was an attempt to fake and criminal alibi to cover up evidential footprint from murder case.
“We want to know if indeed there was shooting. We want medical examination conducted to confirm if the injury is a bullet wound or a stab wound. This will be key to inform if there was indeed a struggle at the scene of murder.” A senior police source said.
Kuria visited Nairobi West Hospital after reporting he was shot at the entrance of an apartment he is believed to live with his fiancée. However, an account by investigators show no shooting incident was reported or heard by the neigbours.
He claimed he was shot by an armed gangster in company of two others on September 21, two days after Monica lifeless body of Monica was discovered in her house. Police have since punched holes into a report of shooting made by Kuria at Lang’ata police station under OB79/21/9/2018 that he was shot outside the apartment entrance at around 2am.
According to the report, he was driving a Toyota Allion registration number KCA 031E when he allegedly spotted three men on a motorcycle within the estate. After dropping his wife, he says he went back to check who the unidentified suspicious men were when he was shot. Her throat was slit and hand tied from the back.
Police want DNA analysis of the suspect and the deceased including the clothes Kuria was wearing on the material day as identified by witnesses who saw him visit Monica. They also want to establish the nature of injury and weapon used to inflict the wound on his should and the clothes he wore that dawn. “This will help us establish the motive of the killing. Phone records show he knew the deceased although he denied knowing her.” A senior officer said.
Yesterday, Monica’s family remained tight-lipped over the matter. Monica was killed two days before she left the country for Dubai to meet her fiancée who has remained anonymous. She is said to have been operating family business in Juba, South Sudan while Kuria was a one-time hospitality industries employee in the Middle East as a private security guard.
