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Justice Samwel Mohochi during a scene visit on Wednesday at DCI headquarters examining a car allegedly stolen by Edwin Ngetich charged with the murder of George Njuguna a taxi operator on July 29, 2024, at Nakuru. [Photo/ Yvonne Chepkwony]
Edwin Ngetich appeared to be the perfect neighbour—friendly, caring, and active in his local church, where he frequently shared his strong Christian beliefs and personal testimonies.
However, behind this facade, Ngetich was a dangerous criminal, responsible for multiple carjackings and murders, as revealed during court testimonies.
Jesse Mwangi, Ngetich’s neighbour, revealed the chilling truth about his alleged double life during a trial at Nakuru High Court, where Ngetich is facing charges for the murder of George Njuguna, a taxi driver.
The incident took place between the night of July 29 and 30, 2024, at Soysambu Conservancy in Gilgil, Nakuru County. According to the prosecution, Ngetich robbed Njuguna of his Toyota Noah vehicle before killing him.
Ngetich, currently remanded at Kamiti Prison, has been denied bail after being linked to a series of similar murders and robberies involving taxi drivers between 2020 and 2024.
It’s alleged that Ngetich would hire taxis, kill the drivers, steal the vehicles, and then sell them to unsuspecting buyers.
Mwangi, who worked as a caretaker at the apartment complex where Ngetich lived with his wife and two children, spoke of his disbelief upon learning about his tenant’s criminal activities.
He described Ngetich as a religious man who always attended church with his family and paid his rent on time.
“He was friendly to everyone, quoting the Bible and often giving personal testimonies,” Mwangi told the court.
Missing number plate
However, Mwangi’s suspicions were raised on March 22, 2024, when he discovered a number plate missing from his car after returning from church.
He reported the theft to the police, but had no reason to suspect Ngetich. The number plate was later recovered from Ngetich’s home when detectives raided the property.
Additionally, Mwangi recalled finding Ngetich cleaning the seats of a Toyota Noah in the apartment compound. Ngetich claimed a customer had vomited in the car, but it later emerged that the vehicle had been stolen, and the driver had been murdered.
Before his arrest, Ngetich had swapped his Toyota Voxxy for a Toyota Noah, telling Mwangi it was due to customer demand.
“I remember coming back one day and finding him washing the car. He said a customer had vomited in it,” Mwangi recalled.
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“He had accumulated rent, and later, I saw him on the news in handcuffs,” he added.
During the prosecution’s opening remarks, they informed the court that they would demonstrate how Ngetich lured George Njuguna to his death.
Church mission
Njuguna’s mother, Jane Gachanja, testified that her son had been hired by a man pretending to be a driver for a church mission. On July 29, 2024, Njuguna left for the trip with his family.
Despite a few strange requests for money, including a call for additional fuel, his mother remained unaware of the impending danger.
He was last heard from around 9pm, confirming he was driving to Nairobi. The following day, his phone went dead, and efforts to trace him began. His body was later found on August 29, 2024, at Gilgil Morgue.
A post-mortem revealed that Njuguna had been struck on the head with a blunt object. His vehicle was later discovered, but the number plates had been altered.
The case continues, with further hearings scheduled for April 2, 2025.
In a separate incident, on September 27, 2024, Ngetich is believed to have killed Victoria Mumbua, a Mombasa-based taxi driver, whom he hired to transport her to Samburu.
After her death, her phone was switched off, and Ngetich allegedly stole her vehicle, which was later found with the altered plates.
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The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
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