Suspect in Eastleigh triple murder detained as manhunt for main culprit continues

A man suspected of involvement in the brutal murder of three women in Eastleigh, Nairobi, has been detained by police for nine days to facilitate an ongoing investigation.

The suspect, who appeared in Makadara Law Courts on Monday, is linked to the deaths of Amina Abdirashid, her aunt Waris Dahabo Daud, and her niece Nuseiba Abdi Mohammed.

Police said they are still searching for the primary suspect and did not allow journalists into the courtroom, citing the need for an identification parade as part of the murder investigation.

According to court statements, further inquiries are necessary to determine the man's role in the case.

Reports indicate that Waris’s husband recently provided a statement to the police. Previously, a suspect had contacted the family, demanding a ransom for the victims' release.

Investigators allege the detained suspect hails from Ethiopia’s Somali region, where he previously served as a police officer. He allegedly fled to Kenya after a prison term related to the suspected murder of his wife in Ethiopia, establishing a taxi business in Eastleigh and Parklands.

Investigators believe the suspect may have known the victims and suspect his involvement in past extortion schemes.

CCTV footage shows a Nissan Note, reportedly driven by the suspect, transporting the victims from their Eastleigh residence on October 21, hours before their bodies were found in separate Nairobi locations.

The vehicle was later found abandoned near Wakulima Market and has been taken to DCI Headquarters for forensic analysis.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has appealed to the public for assistance, urging anyone with relevant information to report via their toll-free hotline, 0800 722 203, or to any police station.

"With one suspect in custody and assisting in the investigation, we appeal to anyone who may have information that could assist in the arrest of the suspect to #FichuakwaDCI," the DCI read.

Preliminary findings suggest the victims were murdered following a dispute over ransom demands. A relative of Waris in London allegedly dismissed the ransom demand, which reportedly incited the suspect's violent response.

Police are questioning additional persons of interest, including apartment guards and the building's owner, and are investigating possible accomplices.

A woman who survived the abduction recounted being detained alongside the victims. She told police the captors demanded a ransom for their release, threatening violence when they suspected the victims could identify them.

The survivor’s family paid $7,000 (Sh1 million), which was transferred to an Ethiopian bank. Kenyan authorities have requested Ethiopia’s assistance in the case.

On October 21, Waris Dahabo Daud Said, 38, Amina Abdirashid Dahir, 22, and Nusayba Abdi Mohammed, 12, went missing.

Their bodies were discovered with stab wounds early the following morning in different locations: Bahati in Makadara, 6th Avenue Parklands, and Khyumbi in Machakos, with Waris’s hands severed.

Further, on October 23, two human hands were found on Five-Star Road in South C. A post-mortem revealed signs of severe torture, with government pathologist Johansen Oduor confirming that Waris was strangled and her hands amputated, while Amina died from a stab wound that punctured her heart.

"The stab wound went to the heart. We believe she died out of stabbing,” Oduor said.