UPDATE: Director of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin has confirmed the arrest of the main suspect in the Mukuru killings noting that 42 women have been killed since 2022.
"On interrogation, the suspect confessed to having lured, killed, and disposed off 42 female bodies at the dumping site, all murdered between 2022 and as recently as Thursday, July 11, 2024," he stated.
"Unfortunately, the suspect alleged that the first victim was his wife namely Imelda Judith who he strangled to death before dismembering her body and dumping it at the same site. From our interrogation, all his victims had been murdered in the same style," he added.
He further concluded that the government was dealing with a psychopathic serial killer who has no dignity for human life.
"In our relentless effort to deliver justice to the Kware dumping site matters and for us to give closure to the devastated families, we have this morning arrested the prime suspected identified as Collins Jomaisi Khalisia, 33," he told the press.
Amin announced that the suspect was arrested while outside a club in Kayole and took the detectives to his single-room rented house.
The suspect lived 500 meters away from the Kware dumpsite where, according to the police, 9 bodies have been retrieved since the first report was made on Friday.
"The suspect was arrested at Soweto in Kayole this morning at around 3:00 am. He was arrested outside a club where he had gone to watch the football finals.
"The arrest followed a thorough forensic analysis of a mobile phone that belonged to one of the victims, Josephine Mulongo Owino, where some mobile money transactions were conducted," he added.
Classifying him as a suspect, the authorities noted that he attempted to lure another victim inside the house.
The suspect was nabbed during an operation in his hideout in Kayole where several mobile phones, including those belonging to victims, were recovered.
Other items he was found with include seven identity cards, 10 sim cards, a panga, gloves, and sacks.
The suspect is said to have admitted to committing the crimes even as investigations continue. Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja confirmed that the investigations would be finalised in 21 days.
On Sunday, Amin revealed that the investigations had narrowed down the crime to either cult killings, serial killer operations, or actions of rogue medical practitioners.
“The modus operandi was almost the same. If you look at the age, it was between 18-30. These are all female. If you look at how the bodies have been disguised and packaged - all the same,” the DCI boss stated.
“Are we dealing with a cult that is associated with criminal activities? Are we dealing with serial killers that are also associated with criminal activities? Or even, could we be dealing with rogue medical practitioners who are dealing with criminal activities? All these are hypotheses we have tried to bring on board.”
