Search on for missing children after mysterious death of parents

Kezziah Wambui (right), the mother of lawyer Paul Magu who died mysteriously, and other mourners at her Kimuchu home in Thika (PHOTO: KAMAU MAICHUHIE)

Police are searching for three children who went missing last week after the bodies of their parents were found in separate locations in Nairobi and Thika.

The family of lawyer Paul Magu and police are looking for the children who were identified as Allen, 9, Ryan, 8, and Tiffany Muthoni, 5.

The children were pupils at Garden Estate Academy in Nairobi.

The pictures of the children have been posted on social media by the family, which wants the public to help trace their whereabouts.

The mutilated body of Magu's wife, Lydia Wangui, 30, was found near Paradise Lost along Kiambu Road in Nairobi last Monday and later taken to the City Mortuary.

The body of Magu, 35, was found on the Thika-Garissa highway near Ngoliba on Wednesday where police believe he had either committed suicide or been pushed on the path of a speeding bus, which ran over him.

The driver of the bus from Garissa told police he saw Magu jump onto the road as he sped to the city.

Magu's clothes were found in his car, whose engine was found running at the time it was discovered.

Police records show Wangui's burnt body also had a deep cut on the head and back.

Officers from CID's Serious Crime Unit are handling the case and have so far visited the scenes where the bodies were discovered and home of the couple.

Head of the Unit John Kariuki said they are yet to know the motive of the deaths.

"We are following many leads including claims of involvement of a church he was serving, suicide, ritual sacrifice and murder," said an officer aware of the investigations but who asked not to be named.

The officer said they had searched thickets near where Magu's car was found abandoned, mortuaries and talked to the extended family and friends in a bid to find the missing children.

Police visited their home in Muthaiga Pipeline Estate and collected what they termed as samples that could help them investigate the incident. They discovered blood stains in the couple's bedroom.

Magu's brother Andrew Mahiu told police the deceased had stopped practising law four years ago and ventured into theology.

"We have been seeing changes in the last four years when he stopped practising. He has changed churches since then and he avoided his family," said Mahiu.

On Tuesday, Magu spent the night at his father's home in Thika before he woke up early on the fateful day. Whereas he had left his home with the children, he did not arrive with them at his father's home in Thika, police said.

His mobile phone was found near a pond next to his father's homestead and police say they want to know who he had talked to before he died.

And his mother said yesterday she had something 'very important' that she wanted to let the world know and which she suggested may help in unravelling the death of her son and his wife.

Speaking to The Standard at her home in Kimuchu village on the outskirts of Thika town, Kezziah Wambui said her son's and his wife's deaths were very painful, adding she was ready to share some information on his religion which she thinks was behind his mysterious death.

She was, however, restrained from revealing the details to The Standard by family members.

And another close family member called on police to conduct more investigations on a woman pastor she alleged called them when they were searching for Magu's wife and told them to check their bedroom.

"Immediately after we received the call urging us to check the bedroom, we went there and found no one in the room but a lot of blood spilt all over," she said.

Yesterday afternoon, sorrow engulfed the compound as friends, relatives and locals mourned the couple.