Detectives arrest suspect over murder of Catholic Church priest

Police in Mbeere, Embu County, have arrested a 46-year old suspect over the recent murder of Catholic Church cleric Fr. Michael Maingi (pictured).

A statement posted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reveals that the suspect, who is identified as Kavivya Mwangangi was arrested today and will be detained as investigations into the gruesome murder continue.

It states: “One suspect; 46-Year-Old Kavivya Mwangangi who is connected with the murder of the late Fr. Michael Maingi was today arrested at Kategi in Mbeere, Embu County by detectives in an intelligence-led operation.”

“The detectives are further investigating the possibility of the murder by the said suspect and his accomplice Michael Mutunga being connected to a cult in which Mutunga is suspected to be part of, after a Filled Application Form (by him) to join Illuminati cult in September 2018 was recovered at Mwangangi' rented house,” the DCI statement added.

Police further state that they recovered various items from the suspect, which they believe will help in providing crucial leads vital for investigations into the murder of the priest.

It says: “Also recovered at the house were-blood stained clothes -mobile phone and sim card where some money was received through Mpesa from the late's phone the night he was murdered, and a notebook bearing names and phone numbers of people suspected to be members of the Secret Society Cult.”

The body of the priest was discovered on October 15, 2019, almost a week after he had been kidnapped from his Thatha Parish by gunmen. Thatha is in Machakos County.

Police said he was kidnapped on October 7. The kidnappers slit his throat and cut his body before burying him in a shallow grave on a riverbed in Embu County.

The men then drove his car up to Malindi and back to Nairobi.

In Malindi, the suspected killers withdrew part of his money from a local bank. It is not clear yet why they decided to drive to Malindi.

Two of the four killers were arrested on Mombasa Highway in Makindu area with his car and later took police to the place where they had buried the priest’s body.

Police said they are yet to know the motive of the killing and that they intend to exhume the body Wednesday from the banks of Gathingiri river. A team of experts including a pathologist was driven to the site for the mission.

Detectives handling the matter said they are looking for two more suspects over the incident.

Head of Special Crimes Prevention Unit Pius Gitari said they are following crucial leads on the whereabouts of the missing suspects.

Additional reporting by Cyrus Ombati