Detective, government chemist seek to link man to activist's murder

He said Ms Ekaru asked the young girl to go away as they spoke. However, after walking a distance of 50 metres, the girl heard Ekaru scream for help.

"The niece rushed back to the scene. She saw the suspect holding the weapon (a dagger) with blood on it. The deceased was lying down soaked in blood," Mungania said.

The court heard that people responded to Ekaru's cry for help and caught up with Naweet, who attempted to run away with the murder weapon in his hand.

After they caught him, the mob stoned Naweet who was rescued as sought to avenge Ekaru's death.

Another witness, Kambi Garba Senior Assistant Chief Habiba Hassan, had told the court that she was among those who rescued Naweet from the mob that was baying for his blood.

Mungania, who collected various items belonging to the suspect and the victim for DNA analysis, said Ekaru had multiple stab wounds.

"The deceased was stabbed on the back, rib, left thigh, hand, palm and left chin," he said.

The officer said he also collected body tissues for DNA analysis. Others were hair, cloth and fingernail clippings.

"I dispatched them to the Government Chemist in Nairobi on January 14, 022 for DNA analysis," Mungania said.

Kipng'etich, a DNA expert who told Justice Murithi that he had ten years of experience in the profession, said he conducted testing from bloodstains in a shoe belonging to Naweet, a dagger, a scarf, nail clippings and hair.

"The dagger, leso (scarf) and the dress were heavily stained with human blood," Kipng'etich said.

He said he generated DNA profiles from the bloodstains of both the suspect and the victim.

"The DNA profile generated from bloodstains for the show, a Safari boot, and the dagger matched both DNA profiles generated for nail clippings from Ekaru and those for the suspect," he said.

Ekaru's family is represented by lawyer Zaina Kombo while the suspect's lawyer Hillary Sandi

Justice Murithi set October 12 as the date for submissions.