The prime suspect in the suspected Murder of 23-year-old Velvine Nungari Kinyanjui, will remain in police custody for 10 days as detectives piece up the evidence and complete investigations surrounding Velvine’s death.
The ruling was made virtually by Kiambu Law Court 1 Chief Magistrate Hon. Patriciah Gichohi, following a miscellaneous application for custodial orders made by Kiamumbi-based detectives, who took over the case from Kiamumbi Police Station.
The unfortunate events that would later claim Velvine’s life were reported to the police at Kiamumbi, where a Rape report was booked and Joseph Kinyua Murimi, 33-year-old suspect got arrested.
Reportedly, the suspect claimed to have met Velvine two days before their February 23 date. On this day, Kinyua had picked Velvine at Kirigiti, before the two proceeded to Q West restaurant in Kahawa West for some drinks.
After some time, they moved to another restaurant (Kijito) along Kamiti Road, then to Sinnot Hotel where they booked themselves into a room.
Officers from Kiamumbi Police Station gathered that the two had been captured on cctv cameras at the restaurant’s reception, collecting the key to their room at around 9pm.
A bar attendant whose statement was recorded stated to have ushered out the suspect at around 10.30pm, an hour and a half after the two booked the room.
Allegedly, Kinyua had told the barman that he had left Velvine in the unlocked room to rest as she was exhausted, and that he (Kinyua) couldn’t spend the night out since he was married.
Kinyua, a salesman who trades in assorted spareparts, then drove away to his home, taking Velvine’s mobile phone along.
The following day in the afternoon (February 24), Velvine had called a female friend from the hotel requesting her to go along with another person to help her get to hospital.
Velvine’s friends took her to Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital in a cab, before proceeding to report the incident to the police.
Velvine was treated for spine related complications and cervical fractures for several days.
Acting on the report, Kiamumbi police arrested the suspect, seeking custodial orders for 5 days which were granted by the Kiambu court. Thereafter, he was charged with Rape, and released on sh 100,000 cash bail.
Sadly, on March 9, Velvine passed on at the hospital. She had been an employee at Ruiru’s Destiny Park.
A pathologist who conducted her autopsy on March 11, made a report of her having developed compression fractures on her vertebral column, before succumbing to collapse of the lungs.
However, Dr Kimani (the pathologist) said he had collected more samples for running histological and toxicology tests, which would take some time before getting the results.
DCI detectives based in Kiamumbi then took over the case on March 12 and rearrested the suspect.
Seeking custodial orders, the detectives were allowed 6 days to hold the suspect, to allow fresh interrogations and compile a Murder file.
Having unearthed new information pertinent to the case over the period, the detectives were today granted the extended time before presenting the suspect to plead to Murder charges.
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