Cause of death of KFS legal manager Esther Wairimu remains unknown as DCI keeps homicide probe open
Detectives say homicide has not been ruled out after a post-mortem on Kenya Forest Service Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige failed to establish.
The late Esther Wairimu Keige. (Photo: Handout)
The cause of death of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige remains undetermined after a post-mortem examination failed to establish how she died, with detectives saying homicide has not been ruled out.
Wairimu's decomposed body was recovered on Monday, July 6, at Fusion Estate Farm in the Kiaora area of Juja, Kiambu County, weeks after she went missing in mid-June.
In a statement on Thursday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the initial post-mortem examination found no injuries indicating she had been assaulted. However, pathologists were unable to determine the cause of death because of the advanced state of decomposition.
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“While the examination revealed no external physical injuries suggestive of assault, the pathologists were unable to conclusively determine the cause of death due to the advanced state of decomposition,” the DCI said.
The agency added that additional samples had been collected for forensic and toxicological analysis as investigations continue.
“The DCI wishes to clarify that investigations remain active and that homicide has not been ruled out. Detectives are pursuing all plausible lines of inquiry and are awaiting the outcome of the toxicology and other forensic examinations, which are expected to provide critical leads in the investigation,” said the DCI.
According to investigators, Wairimu disappeared on June 10 after her driver dropped her off at a petrol station in Juja. She had reportedly intended to inquire about gym services in the area but never returned, prompting her family to report her missing.
Police then began tracing her movements using CCTV footage, phone records, witness statements and searches across several locations in Kiambu County in an effort to establish what happened after her disappearance.
“During the course of investigations, it was established that the deceased had been battling depression and was undergoing treatment. Further inquiries also revealed that she had previously disappeared from home on three separate occasions before eventually returning safely,” said the DCI.
At the scene where her body was discovered, detectives found her mobile phone intact but switched off. Her shoes had also been removed and placed beside the body.
Following the discovery, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) called for a multi-agency investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding Wairimu's death and identify those responsible.
The call came amid growing concern over the recent killing of advocate Edward Muthee Kariuki in Athi River, with the two incidents raising fresh questions about the safety of members of the legal profession.
The DCI has urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation to report it to the relevant authorities.