Man to face murder charge after body of ex-lover found

A man suspected to have killed ex-lover is in custody after the woman’s body was found in a maize plantation in Solai, Nakuru County.

Martha Muthoni, 35, a businesswoman, left her home in the company of the man, hours before her body was found.

The body was found at 11pm on Friday after hours of searching with the assistance of police.

The suspect is said to have lured Muthoni by promising to help her get farm inputs, and they travelled more than 30km from her home in Bahati to the scene of crime in Solai, Rongai Sub-County. Muthoni was living in a rented house with another man.

According to residents, she had fallen out with her former lover at the beginning of this year. He then relocated to Njoro, about 60km away.

Details from the woman’s phone show she was called by the suspect before they met at her home and later left for the farm.

Rongai sub-County Police Commander Richard Rotich yesterday said the two left the home together for the farm in Solai but the man returned alone and informed Muthoni’s son about her death.

Muthoni’s son reported the matter to Bahati Police Station and was referred to Rongai.

Residents then arrested the man and handed him over to the police.

“The suspect who was fleeing to Njoro was arrested at Maili Saba.

He is being detained at Bahati Police Station as investigations continue,” Rotich said.

The residents embarked on a search for Muthoni’s body, which took more than six hours. “We found her body in her maize farm in Kamukunji area in Solai on Friday night. She was naked and her mobile phone was in her clothes,” said Bahati MCA John Njuguna.

The police said Muthoni had a stab wound, which might have led to her death.

“We visited the scene and found the body of the victim with a stab wound in the neck. The body was moved to Nakuru County Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem. The suspect will be arraigned in court on Monday,” Rotich said.

Elsewhere, a mother, son and daughter are nursing serious injuries after they were attacked by their mentally ill father.

The woman is said to have woken up at 6am and found her husband holding a knife ready to stab her.

“The woman got off the bed and opened the door. She however tripped and fell outside where the suspect caught up with her.

“He stabbed her on the knee. During the struggle, she lost three fingers,” said Kuresoi North sub-County Police Commander Henry Nyarangi.