Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor has revealed that Rita Waeni, the slain university student found dead inside an airbnb in Roysambu, was killed by strangulation.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, January 24, Oduor said an autopsy done on her head showed signs of strangulation and hence the conclusion.
According to him, the team conducting the autopsy found that Rita Waeni was first killed by the perpetrators and later decapitated her body into parts.
“The head had been chopped off at the neck at the level of the C5 vertebrae, the vertebrae of the neck,” he explained.
“What caused the death of that young lady was strangulation after which she was decapitated and the body dumped,” he added.
Family Identifies Rita’s Head
The controversial murder of slain Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) student Rita Waeni took a new twist after her family positively identified the severed head found at Kiambaa in Kiambu County, as that of their kin.
Speaking at the City Mortuary in Nairobi on January 25, 2024, Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor revealed that Waeni’s family identified the head evidenced by the teeth formation, hair, and forehead.
Following the positive identification, an investigation team launched an exercise to establish whether Waeni suffered any head injuries as per reports.
Head Recovered
Police officers on Sunday January 21 recovered the human head in a dam in Kiambu, also obtaining other belongings of the slain university student at the scene including her mobile phone.
“We have a human head believed to be that of the slain woman, but we will say more after probe,” said an officer.
Also, detectives probing the murder case noted that they were pursuing crucial leads for the apprehension of the arrested suspects who are alleged to be the serial killers behind the murder.
Following the discovery, two Nigerian nationals were arrested on January 23 in connection to the murder of Rita to add to the list of suspects in the case.
The two named William Ovie Opia and Johnbull Asbor were presented in court but did not face any charges yet.
National Police Officers further went on to seek custody orders to hold them pending investigations.
According to police reports, William Ovie Opia had an expired passport while Absor was said to have lost his two years ago.
During their arrest, police also recovered several items including a butcher’s knife and an axe which one of the suspects said he had bought for self-defense.
Also Read: Rita Waeni’s Close Friends Give Account of Her Personal Life
The two were arrested in Ndenderu near a dam where the human head believed to be Rita Waeni’s was recovered.
Rita Waeni murder probe
During a forensic study of Waeni’s body, Johansen Oduor highlighted that the attempt to remove fingernails could be an effort to conceal DNA evidence, adding a layer of mystery to the investigation.
Further, the pathologist noted that the killer was aware of what he was doing explaining that the skin was cut with a sharp object.
The pathologist expressed his shock noting that it was his first time coming across such a case.
“This is the first time I have come across such a thing. I have never in my forensic life, come across such an incident,” he stated.
