PHOTOS: Family hold memorial service for Lydia Tokesi
She was reported missing January 4
3mon agoFELIX KIPKEMOINews
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has stated that a manhunt is ongoing for the prime suspect in the murder of Lydia Tokesi Bukhala.
Speaking before the National Assembly’s Security Committee, Murkomen said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has already visited the suspect’s home in Oyugis and surrounding areas, where they gathered critical evidence.
“Efforts are in place to trace the suspect’s whereabouts and subsequently arraign him in court to face appropriate charges,” he said.
The CS said the suspect was the last person seen with the deceased on January 5, 2025, at around 2 pm at his residence in Ongata Rongai.
This was also around the time Tokesi’s phone was switched off.
Investigations revealed the suspect had been using two mobile numbers, both of which were turned off shortly after the murder.
“The suspect’s mobile number was later traced along Kikuyu Road at around 6:00 a.m., which aligns with the same time the motor vehicle was abandoned within the same area,” Murkomen stated.
He added that investigators established a clear link between the suspect and the deceased’s vehicle, which was tracked from Ongata Rongai to Ngong, and later to the Riruta area, where it was abandoned.
CCTV footage captured the suspect at several petrol stations along this route on the night of January 6, 2025.
Murkomen recounted that Tokesi’s mutilated body was found in Gataka Forest on January 11, 2025.
“The DNA analysis that was conducted established a 99 per cent maternity match between the recovered body and the deceased’s mother, confirming the victim’s identity,” he said, adding that a toxicology report is still pending.
On support for families of missing persons, Murkomen assured the committee that the government had put measures in place to ensure proper coordination and the use of forensic tools in investigations.
“Upon receiving reports of missing persons, the police immediately commence investigations, utilising forensic technology to trace the victim’s last known movements and identify potential suspects,” he said.
"Throughout the investigations, the police keep the victim’s family informed at every stage, providing regular updates and necessary support. Once suspects are apprehended, they are arraigned before a court of law to answer charges, thus ensuring justice is served.”
