Pastor Ann Wanyoro arrested over mysterious death of Magu family

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is holding a woman over last week's mysterious deaths of a family in Muthaiga Pipeline estate in Nairobi.

Ann Wambui Wanyoro was arraigned before Kiambu Principal Magistrate Catherine Oluoch by serious crime unit officers from CID headquarters, led by Maxwell Otieno, who sought 14 days to hold the suspect at Muthaiga Police Station for further questioning.

In a sworn affidavit, Mr Otieno said they believe she has crucial information concerning the murder of the family.

Ms Wanyoro is said to be a close family friend to lawyer Paul Muhiu Magu and was consistently in communication with him throughout the period before and during the murder incidents.

The suspect was arrested on Monday. Between November 16 and 19, the suspect allegedly stayed at Magu's residence and performed what a house help described as cultic rituals.

"Even after the murder of the wife, the suspect spent time together with the deceased and visited various places together," Otieno said.

PARTIALLY BURNED

On November 23, Magu's wife, Lydia Wangui, allegedly went missing and was later found murdered and her body dumped in a thicket near Paradise Lost on Kiambu Road. Some of her body parts were partially burned.

The following day, Magu reportedly left his residence at about 10am in a family car, registration number KAT 177M, and in the company of his three children; Tiffany Wambui (6), Ryan Muhiu (8) and Allan Muhiu (9).

At around 2pm, he allegedly returned home without the three children and later left for his rural home in Kiganjo in Thika.

The following day, he was involved in a fatal accident at Ngoliba on the Thika-Garissa highway in what is suspected to be a suicide crash.

On December 1, one of the three missing children, Tiffany, was found murdered with her body badly mutilated and dumped in a coffee plantation in Ruiru.

Ruiru OCPD Isaac Thuranira said the police found Tiffany's decomposing body had a deep cut on the neck.

The fate of the other two children is still unknown.

The affidavit reads that under unclear circumstances, Magu had intended to transfer ownership of some of his properties to the suspect in a will deposited with John Odhiambo Achola advocates.

The serious crime unit officers believe that their investigations are likely to directly link the suspect to the murders.

 Meanwhile, Magu's relatives and friends spent the better part of yesterday searching for the two missing children at Tatu City where Tiffany's body was found on Monday but to no avail. Family Spokesman Andrew Kamau said despite the outcome, they will not lose hope until they find them dead or alive.

Kamau asked the Government to provide divers from the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Youth Service to help them search for the missing children in dams and rivers.

Armed with sniffer dogs, the police, friends and relatives spent the whole Tuesday searching for the two Allen and Ryan children.

"The family has indefinitely suspended burial plans of the deceased family members until we trace and know the fate of the missing children," said Kamau.

Speaking to The Standard at her Thika home, Magu's mother Kezziah Wambui said she believes the deaths were as a result of religion and spirituality.

Ms Wambui said her late son shocked the family when he said he was leaving his well-paying job to concentrate on serving God.

She said since he resigned from his job and joined a church she declined to name, her son changed and became withdrawn.

DITCH CHURCH

"My son suddenly became reserved and even stopped coming home to check on us. He became very religious and seemed to live his own life and did not want family members to intrude," said Wambui.

The mother said her spirited efforts to convince Magu to ditch the church fell on deaf ears. She said Magu and his wife always seemed very happy together, adding that no any family member suspected things would end up the way they did.

"There were no signs of marital problems. What has happened has shocked us as a family," said Wambui.

She said her son had accumulated a lot of wealth while working as a lawyer but had disposed of a lot of his property to fund the 'work of God'.