Kware bodies: Two suspects found with victim's mobile phone detained in probe into killings

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is holding two more suspects found with a mobile phone belonging to one of the women retrieved at the abandoned quarry in Kware within Embakasi in Nairobi.

One suspect was arrested at the City Cabanas Stage along Mombasa Road after he was allegedly found with one of the slain women - Roslyne Akoth's mobile phone. The other suspect is said to have sold Akoth's mobile phone to the first suspect.

"Upon arrest of the suspect at the City Cabanas and recovery of the mobile phone yesterday, he led the detectives to the house of another suspect at Mukuru kwa Reuben, who was found with 154 used mobile phones stashed in his house," said director of communication at the DCI headquarters John Marete.

"The suspect has admitted to having been sold used phones previously by the prime suspect in the murder (Collins Jumaisi)."

Marete said the family of Jumaisi's alleged wife - Imelda Judith Karenya- suspected to be the first victim to be killed has identified her national identity (ID) card among the nine IDs recovered at the suspect's house.

The family of Akoth also attended and witnessed her autopsy process conducted at the Nairobi Funeral Home (City Mortuary) after they identified her body.

They also visited the DCI's Homicide Unit offices at the DCI headquarters and identified the deceased's handbag which was among items recovered at Jumaisi's home at the time of his arrest on Monday, July 15 at dawn.

The items are listed as among those marked for identification as exhibits for use during Jumaisi's trial.

"In her statement, a sister to the deceased noted that the last time she ever saw her slain sister, she stepped out of the house with the handbag," stated Marete.

"We extend our gratitude to the families and friends of the deceased, and the public for continuously sharing valuable information with our investigative team, enabling significant progress in this inquiry."

The DCI is investigating the murders of at least 42 women. Their bodies were extensively dismembered before they were stashed in sacks and dumped at the quarry between June 2022 and July 2024.

The main suspect – Jumaisi- has been remanded for 30 days by Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi of the Makadara Law Courts.

The magistrate granted the police permission to hold Jumaisi at any police station in the country because if he is detained at a specific police station, his safety and that of the police officers at such police stations may be endangered.

So far only two out of the nine bodies retrieved from the dumpsite have been identified.