Confessed serial killer arraigned in court

Nyeri, Kenya: A man who allegedly confessed to a series of macabre killings in Nyeri has been arraigned in court in connection with the death of a six-year-old girl.

Paul Njoroge appeared before the Mukurwe-ini acting senior principal magistrate Victor Otieno who ordered that he should undergo a psychiatric test in 14 days.

Njoroge is said to have approached the girl's family on the eve of the girl's burial on Tuesday and reportedly confessed killing her "due to influence of spirits"

The body of the girl identified as Martha Wangui was discovered in a water tank at Tambaya Area in Mukurweini, Nyeri County on September 11, this year.

On Thursday, Corporal Chibungu Sanga, who is investigating the case told the court that police were yet to finish investigations into the case, as the suspect had only been arrested on Tuesday.

Sanga requested for a two weeks extension to conclude the investigations - an application which was supported by prosecutor James Mbithi who is handling the case.

The bloodcurdling details of Njoroge's alleged ritual killing spree emerged on Tuesday when he reportedly confessed killing four other children from the neighbouring Gatura Village.

He reportedly claimed he was under the influence of a spirit and that he was in the process of killing six other children.

But angry mourners baying for Njoroge's blood descended on him intent on killing him following his confessions before police came and whisked him away.

The deceased girl's father Charles Ngunjiri earlier said he learnt of the girl's death from a neighbour who discovered her body in his (neighbour) 2, 800 litres water tank.

"I assumed she had died naturally but I was shocked to learn she had been murdered," said Ngunjiri.

A postmortem conducted on the body indicated that Wangui had been strangled to death before being dumped in the water tank.

Njoroge reportedly claimed he committed the murders under the influence of spirits

Magistrate Otieno ordered Njoroge to be remanded at the Mukurwe-ini police station until October 2 when the case will be mentioned before the same court.