A jilted lover suspected to have hired assassins to kill her rival is among four suspects who will today appear in court to answer to charges of killing a 28-year-old insurance agency staffer.
Keziah Wanjiru, a marketing staffer at St Paul University, was arrested on Saturday by detectives from the Special Crimes Prevention Unit after three men suspected to be hired hit men linked her to Hilda Wanjiru’s murder.
Hildah was shot dead in her rented house in Machakos town by gunmen with an AK 47.
The gunmen also shot and injured Hildah’s husband Josphat Mwirania on his right hand.
On the night Hildah was killed, the three killers arrived in a boda boda and knocked at her door.
Hildah opened the door and she was immediately shot twice and and killed.
Mwarania, who was also in the house, came out and wrestled with the killers.
He was shot once in the right hand as the criminals escaped.
Initially, police treated the issues as a normal violent robbery until last Wednesday when informers tipped detectives in Nairobi on the inside story, leading to a manhunt of the killers.
Other suspects facing the murder charges are Joseph Mutua, alias Mulami, Charles Njaramba, alias Chalo and Wycliffe Amida, alias Vinny.
Machakos CID chief Harun Ndumbi yesterday confirmed Kaziah’s arrest and said the suspects will appear in court for police to seek more time to complete investigations.
Mutua told police Keziah had promised to pay them Sh400,000 after they completed the assignment.
He said the woman only gave a down payment of Sh10,250.
Mutua said Keziah bought for him an Airtile SIM card, which was exclusively used to plan the attack.
He said he destroyed the line as soon as their mission was accomplished.
Detectives said the murder plan was hatched as early as last November when Keziah learnt her former boyfriend, Mwirania, had travelled to Hildah’s rural home and paid dowry and they had started living together as husband and wife.
Police investigations revealed the three worked together at National Bank, Limuru branch.
The man secretly dated the two friends until last year when he is said to have dumped Keziah and decided to settle down with Hildah.
Detectives say Keziah had twice attempted to separate the two and openly confronted Hildah for snatching her husband.
At the time, Hildah had resigned from the bank and worked as a receptionist at an insurance agency in Machakos.
Keziah too had left the bank and worked at the university while Mwarania had been transferred to the NBK Meru branch.
Days before Hildah was killed, the three hit men allegedly travelled with Keziah to Machakos, where she showed the killers the house in which Mwarania and Hildah lived in.
Mutua claimed after they shot Hildah dead, they communicated with Keziah who was delighted to hear the news.
He said he called Keziah again after police arrested him to inform her of the arrest.
Keziah is said to have told Mutua not to link her with the murder and she would take care of his wife and children if convicted to jail.
– the-star.co.ke
Keziah Mbugua Wanjiru a marketing staff at St Paul University, She was arrested after three men suspected to be hired hit men linked her to the murder of Hilda Wanjiru.Photo Kamore Maina –
