Man accused of stabbing girlfriend in Nyayo Estate could have been secretly married to another woman

 Charity and Martin in happier times     Photo: courtesy

A man who is on the run for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend to death may have planned the crime, according to friends who also suspect he was secretly married to another woman.

Charity Mukami, 24, was allegedly killed by Martin Kunguru in Nairobi’s Nyayo Estate in Embakasi.

Her body was found almost a week later after several attempts to reach her failed.

According to her parents, when she left their home in Tassia estate on December 15, they assumed it was just a routine visit to her boyfriend, since she had not carried a change of clothes. This was the last time she was seen alive.

The Nairobian has now learnt that Kunguru could have plotted to murder Charity, his lover of two years after their affair went south according to her parents and friends.

One of the witnesses who spoke to The Nairobian on condition of anonymity claims to have overheard the suspect’s close friends in Nyayo Estate saying Kunguru had sworn to one day kill her girlfriend.

The deceased’s mother, Teresia Njeri, told The Nairobian that, “They were really not in a stable relationship. In fact, he (Kunguru) attacked her in November and came to apologise in our house.” She added that, “Though he kept off the matter following our warning and advice that he ought to get serious with Charity, including introducing his parents to the family as early as January, he was seen around the estate looking for her.”

The two met two years ago while working for popular beer company along Thika Road, according to Njeri.

But after falling in love, Kunguru reportedly urged her to quit the job go into business with him.

When she left their home on the material day, her mum was not worried. Besides, as the mother recalls, Charity “called to say she was well and that she will be joining the family for supper. But we became worried when her phone went unanswered. After several attempts, her boyfriend’s phone went through and he claimed that he had bid Charity bye earlier.”

Charity’s mother added that, “I remember telling him that he has killed my daughter when he later told me that Charity had left his house earlier that evening.”

With all the calls going unanswered, Njeri got in touch with the suspect’s mother, who promised to call Kunguru and find out if he had done anything to Charity.

When Kunguru’s mother visited her son’s three-bedroom house in Nyayo Estate, she claimed not to have heard or seen anyone until the following day.

Charity’s mother recalls that, “On December 22, I received a call from Kunguru’s mother who broke the sad news after the son’s house was broken into by police following the foul smell of a decomposing body that made neighbours suspicious.”

The body of Charity, who was the second-born in their family, was found in the bedroom covered in blood. There were signs of a struggle in the room.

“Her old mobile phone was on the floor, but it was crushed. Her SIM card was in her new mobile phone and was charging from a bedside socket, proof that it could have been a premeditated murder,” said Njeri.

The deceased, according to the mother who was among the first to see her body, said her daughter was stabbed six times in the neck and stomach.

Post-mortem results indicated that the fractures on her limbs were inflicted by a blunt object. There were documents in the house indicative that Kunguru could have been married to another woman.

Beatrice Nyambura, Charity’s sister, described her as loving and hard-working.

Efforts to trace Kunguru who is still on the run are yet to bear fruits. His phone has been switched off and his family claims that he has not reached out to them or made contact.

“We want justice for our daughter. We are hopeful that it will be so since police investigating the matter” said a distraught Njeri.