An inquiry into the mysterious death of 21-year-old Naomi Wangari Mwangi from Embakasi is drawing to a close, with her alleged assailant, Jacob Saidi Wamalwa, now facing the possibility of a murder charge.
Wangari was last seen alive on the night of March 17, after receiving a call from a female friend inviting her for a night out.
She handed her phone to her daughter to keep her entertained, then left the house without revealing her destination.
Unaware that it would be her final night, Wangari stepped into the night—and into the company of the man who allegedly raped and strangled her, and who is now accused of her murder.
The two, along with her friend, met at a pub where they indulged in drinks—mostly Senator Keg, her reported favourite.
Wamalwa, described as generous that evening, footed the bill via M-Pesa and later accompanied the women to a disco matanga—a funeral night vigil-turned-party—where the drinking and dancing continued.
As the night wore on, Wangari’s friend was picked up by her boyfriend, leaving Wangari alone with the suspect. What happened next would end in horror.
At around 4 am, a woman waiting for her sister to return home heard a commotion outside. Peering through the window, she saw a man pinning a woman to the ground and raping her while another man stood nearby, watching.
Initially, she believed it might be her sister being attacked. She raised the alarm telling the suspect to stop assaulting her sexually, prompting neighbours to rush to the scene.
By the time help arrived, the attackers had fled into the darkness. Wangari, half-naked and visibly shaken, struggled in vain to dress herself. Moments later, she let out a piercing scream and collapsed a few metres away from where she had been raped. She died on the spot.
Police arrived shortly after and secured the crime scene. Her body was taken to the City Mortuary for preservation and post-mortem examination.
Meanwhile, back home, her husband—unaware of the tragedy—had returned that evening and found their daughter alone.
He helped her with her homework and tucked her into bed. Worried by Wangari’s absence, he began to search for her, but without success.
He later recounted a chilling dream that night, in which he saw strangers strangling his wife. Jolted awake, he hoped to find her back—but she wasn’t.
The following morning, while walking home after seeing their daughter off to school, neighbours broke the devastating news: his wife had been found dead.
Distraught, he rushed to the local police station and was directed to the City Mortuary, where he confirmed the body was indeed Wangari’s—her face marked by visible bruises.
Medical reports have since confirmed that DNA collected from the suspect matched samples taken from the deceased’s body.
Wamalwa is currently being held at Industrial Area Remand Prison, awaiting a psychiatric evaluation before he can take a plea at Makadara High Court on June 26.
Meanwhile, detectives from the homicide unit are working to trace and arrest the second suspect seen at the scene, with the intent to present him before the court for plea-taking.
By Lillian Chepkoech
