Body parts linked to woman killed in Huruma recovered

Detectives on Saturday recovered a dismembered human body believed to be missing parts of a woman who was murdered in Huruma, Nairobi.

Joy Fridah Munani has been missing since last Tuesday.

The discovery was made by locals along Mathare River on Saturday, where a suspicious sack was spotted floating on the river.

Police said they believe the parts are those of Munani.

According to the detectives they need to march them with the other parts that were earlier recovered in a house in Huruma to confirm the same.

Police said with the evidence in their custody, they believe they have a strong case against the suspect John Kiama Wambua who was arrested while transporting some of the body parts last week.

An interrogation with the suspect led detectives to his rented house in Huruma where more evidence was recovered.

An autopsy on the body of the deceased revealed that she died as a result of deep stab wounds on the chest and her body had been decapitated.

A court on Wednesday granted police 21 days to detain Wambua to enable them to conduct further investigations. 

The police had petitioned the court through a miscellaneous application to grant them 21 days to detain Wambua at Ruaraka Police Station as they investigated the brutal murder of Munani. 

According to Corporal Kassim Yakub of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Starehe, Wambua is suspected of murdering his wife on January 20, 2025, at their home in the Kasanova area of Huruma. 

Police claim that during routine patrols, officers spotted Wambua carrying a suspicious bag near the Huruma Police Station.

Upon searching the bag, officers discovered human body parts, specifically a thoracic section, concealed in a nylon cement carrier.

When interrogated, Wambua reportedly confessed that the remains belonged to his wife and led police to his residence. 

There, additional body parts were recovered from beneath his bed. 

He is alleged to have admitted that the murder occurred following an argument.

"The respondent alleged that he found his wife Joy Fridah Munani (deceased) with another man and when they got to the house an argument ensued that led to him committing the act and later chopping the body to dispose it," read the court documents.  

Kassim told senior principal magistrate Gilbert Shikwe that one of the suspected murder weapons, a panga, has since been recovered.

Kassim told the court that the police are yet to conduct a postmortem examination, DNA testing to confirm the deceased's identity, a mental health assessment of the suspect, and the recording of statements from key prosecution witnesses. 

He alleged that Wambua is a flight risk and could interfere with ongoing investigations if released. 

Kassim further said the suspect's safety might be at risk due to the high-profile nature of the case, which has attracted public attention.

"I pray this honourable court to grant me with an order to detain the respondent at Ruaraka police station for twenty-one (21) working days to enable me to conclusively investigate this matter," read the court documents. 

The magistrate allowed the police to detain the suspect.