Detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi arrested the prime suspect identified as PN in the murder of hairdresser Jeniffer Mwende, whose body was discovered in a pit latrine in Mlolongo two weeks ago.
According to a report by the DCI released on Saturday, the suspect was arrested in Kitengela while travelling on a matatu bound for Namanga, Tanzania.
Investigators noted that the arrest occurred following weeks of a well-coordinated operation. The suspect drew attention due to her involvement in a love triangle with a married man alongside Mwende.
The DCI detectives stated that PN had repeatedly threatened Mwende to leave the married man, insinuating that she would take extreme measures to fulfil her threats.
Police revealed that on the fateful day, Mwende was contacted by her neighbour, who worked in cahoots with PN. Detectives discovered that the suspect had planned for Mwende's neighbour to lure her to an unknown house under the pretence of seeking her services.
The neighbour directed Mwende to the suspect's house, to which the hairdresser obliged and went. Upon arrival, Mwende was accosted and subdued by the two women, who roughed her up and threatened her with death should she be seen around the married man.
Minutes later, the women were joined by a third woman known as EW, the man's wife.
"Apparently, the man's wife had become protective of her man and was accusing PN of snatching him away. To save her skin, PN plotted the luring of Mwende whom she knew was her fellow paramour to the married man and called the wife pointing fingers at the defenceless woman," read part of the statement.
"After roughing her up and threatening her with death should she be seen around the man, the trio feared that Mwende would report them to the police. They hence heinously strangled her with a bedsheet and suffocated her with pieces of cloth to avoid any screams."
The detectives revealed that PN had planned to have the body sneaked out of the compound to a forest by an unknown taxi driver, but the plan failed after lacking the key to the main gate through which the car was to enter. The suspect then resorted to dumping the body into the pit latrine.
Following the investigations, police officers have arrested the three women, who are scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, October 30, to take plea to murder charges.
