Slain Multimedia University student
Sylvia Kemunto died of strangulation, an autopsy has revealed.
She also sustained head injuries
caused by a blunt object.
Chief government pathologist Dr.
Johansen Oduor and family pathologist Dr. Martha Mwangi noted that Kemunto had
defensive wounds, indicating she tried to fight off her attacker.
“We observed neck injuries typical
of strangulation, suggesting she was deprived of oxygen before death. Based on
these findings, we concluded that the cause of death was strangulation,” said
Oduor.
The autopsy indicated that the body
was decomposed when it was found on April 2 in a water tank at the university
hostel.
The postmortem was conducted at
Montezuma Funeral Home in Nairobi on April 8, in the presence of investigating
officers and family members.
Philip Eric Mutinda, a 19-year-old
Multimedia University student suspected of killing the first-year student and
dumping her body in a rooftop water tank, will remain in custody for 21 days as
investigations continue.
The suspect allegedly told police he
had tried to reconcile with Kemunto but claimed she provoked him, leading to a
violent altercation.
It is alleged that he pushed her
against a wall and bed, then strangled her with a hoodie drawstring. The blow
caused her head injuries.
Mutinda then allegedly placed the
body in a suitcase and moved it to his room. He covered it with a blanket, left
for a walk, and returned about 40 minutes later.
Later that night, he reportedly
placed the body back in the suitcase. Around 4 a.m. on March 31, he is said to
have transferred it to the rooftop tank.
He allegedly removed Kemunto’s SIM card, discarded it within the university, and kept her phone.
He later visited a church and offered the phone as a donation.
Investigators have since recovered
the device, marking a key breakthrough.
The suspect traveled home and later
confessed to his family, who escorted him to Sultan Hamud Police Station, where
he surrendered.
On April 7, Kibera Magistrate Zainab
Abdul ordered that Mutinda be held at Capital Hill Police Station until April
28 to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to complete
inquiries.
Inspector Jairus Mutua filed a
miscellaneous application seeking to detain Mutinda for 21 days, citing the
need for further investigations into Kemunto’s killing. Her body had been
discovered in the rooftop reservoir at Block B Hostel.
Court documents show Kemunto was
reported missing on April 1 by her mother, Teresia Ayai. Her body was found the
next day by the university's security team during a search.
Mutinda, reportedly Kemunto’s
ex-boyfriend, was last seen entering her room on March 30 and later leaving
with a heavy suitcase. He then disappeared from campus.
He surrendered at Sultan Hamud
Police Station on April 4 and was later transferred to Capital Hill.
Police have identified him as the prime suspect.
Investigators are yet to conduct a full postmortem, collect DNA
samples, and send stained clothing and other items to the Government Chemist. A
psychiatric evaluation of the suspect and witness interviews are also pending.
“Retracing the movements of both the
deceased and the suspect is ongoing. Most witnesses are students, and releasing
the suspect could compromise the investigation,” read the court documents.
Mutua cited growing public concern
over rising femicide cases in Kenya, adding that Mutinda’s life could be in
danger if released.
He further revealed that the two had
reportedly dated since September 2024 but broke up in February. Mutinda had
allegedly been trying to reconcile with Kemunto.
However, Mutinda’s lawyer, Johnston
Daniel Jr., opposed the detention request, arguing that his client had cooperated
with police and was not a flight risk.
The prosecution insisted that due to
the gravity of the crime, releasing the suspect could jeopardize evidence.
Representing the victim’s family,
lawyers Danstan Omari and Shadrack Wambui urged the court to recognize femicide
as a gender-based issue.
Omari also questioned the
university’s role in ensuring student safety, stressing that such a crime
occurred within an institution meant to be secure.
