How stolen phone led to arrest of six suspects in Nakuru killings

The accused was arrested on July 1, 2022, at Keroka Nyamira County. [iStockphoto]

A gang member linked to the murder of women in Mawanga, Nakuru County, narrated to the court how a victim's phone led to his arrest.

Evan Kebwaro gave a chilling confession before Lady Justice Hedwig Ong'udi how the gang robbed, raped, strangled to death the victims and set their houses ablaze two years ago.

Kebwaro was arrested after the police traced the phone of the late Beatrice Akinyi to him.

He was charged alongside Kevin Omondi, Josphat Simiyu, Julius Omondi, Isaac Kinyanjui, and Dennis Mmbolo, who allegedly killed Akinyi on December 2, 2021.

The six face charges of killing Grace Wanjiku, Susan Wambui, Akinyi, and Diana Opicho between December 21, 2021, and June 24, 2022.

Kebwaro is facing two other manslaughter charges after pleading guilty to the killing of Wanjiku and Wambui in another plea deal.

“After killing her, I took the deceased phone and used it on two occasions, that is January 6, 2022, and on January 31, 2022, which led to my arrest and the other members,” he said.

He told the court that together with Omondi, Simiyu, Julius, Kinyanjui, and Mbolo, they entered the house and strangled Akinyi to death, took her phone and other valuables before setting the house ablaze.

Facts presented to the court by the prosecutor Emma Okok indicate that Akinyi was a house help of businesswoman Ruth Kariuki, and she was alone in the house on the morning of December 2, 2021.

Okok said Kariuki, was in Nakuru town, where her business is situated, and at around 3 pm, she received a call from a neighbour that her house was on fire.

The businesswoman tried to call Akinyi in vain, as her phone was with Kebwaro, and upon arriving home, she found a crowd trying to put out the fire.

The deceased was missing, and efforts to establish her whereabouts were futile, forcing Kariuki to file a missing person report at Kagoto Police Station.

A day later, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations visited the scene and discovered the charred body of the deceased without visible injuries.

Okok noted that the deceased phone number 0759***284 was missing but ringing and no one was picking.

“The investigation commenced, and the IMEI NO. 3548048996810, showed that the same had been used by a mobile number 0746199678 belonging to Kebwaro, and he had used the phone on two occasions on January 6 and January 31, 2022,” the prosecutor said.

The accused was arrested on July 1, 2022, at Keroka Nyamira County, where he recorded a statement.

The accused confessed to being at the crime scene and strangled Akinyi with his five accomplices.

Kebwaro's confession led to the arrest of the gang.

The post-mortem revealed that Akinyi died of asphyxia due to neck compression.

The case will be mentioned on September 23 for mitigation.