University student jailed 25 years for Valerian Njeri murder

Fifteen-year-old Valerie Njeri who was murdered by a seventeen year old boy in Mirera Estate in Naivasha after rejecting his sexual advances. [File, Standard]

The High Court in Naivasha has sentenced a university student to twenty-five years in prison for the murder of a 15-year-old girl five years ago.

High Court Judge Grace Nzioka found twenty-two-year-old Fredrick Mwonjoria, a student at Machakos University, guilty of murdering the minor after she allegedly rejected his sexual advances.

Mwonjoria, who was a student at Nanyuki High School at the time of the incident, was charged with the murder of Valerian Njeri on November 28, 2019, in the Mirera estate of Naivasha. The two were neighbors in an area that houses many flower farm workers.

In the case, Mwonjoria, who was 17 at the time, attacked the girl with a knife after luring her to his home in Mirera estate, approximately 20 kilometers from Naivasha town. The girl's body was later found dumped outside his gate, and blood traces led investigators to his room, where they recovered the murder weapon and bloodied clothes.

While sentencing the university student, the judge stated that despite him being a minor at the time of the incident, his actions were heinous and warranted a custodial sentence.

“Based on previous cases, the options of a death sentence or life imprisonment are not applicable, since the accused was a minor during the incident. However, a custodial sentence is necessary,” she said.

Judge Nzioka also mentioned that she had taken into account mitigation from the defense, which argued for leniency due to Mwonjoria's age when the crime took place.

“After murdering the girl, the accused hid her body under his bed and shared dinner with his family as if nothing had happened. These actions portray a disturbing character,” she stated.

The judge highlighted that despite being a minor, Mwonjoria exhibited malice when he stabbed the girl twelve times, mostly in the neck and forehead. According to the postmortem report, he had full intent to kill.

Nzioka noted that the student would still have opportunities to continue his education in prison, as many other inmates have successfully pursued their studies while incarcerated.

Following the ruling, the girl’s father, John Ndunu, expressed that the five-year wait for justice had deeply affected the family mentally, spiritually, and financially.

“We welcome the court’s ruling and will now try to move on with our lives, albeit painfully, as this girl meant a lot to our family,” he said.