Police holding five suspects in killing of Nyeri businessman

Police have arrested three people in connection with the brutal murder of Nyeri businessman Erasmus Kinyua.

The 61-year-old man was killed last month at his home in Kangemi Estate.

This brings to five the number of people being held by the police in connection with his death.

Last month, police detectives apprehended Kinyua’s wife, Doris Wambui, and prison Warder Benson Musili who were allegedly having an affair.

The two were arrested three days after the killing at Kivaa village in Machakos County while on the run after the police tracked them down using their phone signals.

The new suspects include a female health worker and two men; a boda boda operator and a security guard.

Nyeri sub-county Criminal Investigations Officer John Gacheru said the police were investigating the killing to ascertain if Wambui paid the alleged hitmen Sh400,000.

According to detectives, the health worker was allegedly having an affair with Musili while the boda boda rider and guard were paid to carry out the killing.

Kinyua was an electronics equipment dealer with several shops in Nyeri town.

Neighbours described him as a devout Catholic who played a significant role in the establishment of the Kangemi Catholic Church.

Maina Kibethi, a church member, said: “Kinyua was a very quiet never missed any local prayers. He encouraged us to participate in church affairs. We are saddened by his death.”

They suspects were presented before Principal Magistrate James Macharia in Nyeri under a miscellaneous application by the police who sought to detain them for 21 days, but the magistrate granted them 14 days instead.