Preliminary investigations into the murder of 8-year-old Shantel Nzembi have established that for the 40 hours she was missing she was being held in Nativity Mutindi’s house. Mutindi is the main suspect in the case.
"After intense interrogations to all suspects in our custody and accounts from eyewitnesses, who are Mutindi ‘s neighbours, we have been able to conclude that Shantel was kidnapped by the suspect and was being held at her house in Noonkopir.
The suspect was also in company of another woman believed to be her close ally and were together until the two suffocated the girl to death. Eyewitnesses say the other woman left a few hours before Shantel’s body was discovered dumped at Orata area. We have also established that the body was ferried by a bodaboda rider, " a detective privy to the investigations said.
This came as the main suspect is held in custody for seven more days for further investigations following ruling by Kajiado Law Courts resident magistrate Edwin Mulochi that granted an application by detectives investigating the matter to hold the suspect for one week to conclude investigations.
Mutindi who was found in possession of the sim card that the 8-year-old Grade Two pupil kidnappers used to demand for a ramson was arraigned in court along the airtel agent who registered the simcard Patrick Mureithi Wambaire.
Detectives from the Kitengela Police Station's Directorate of Criminal Investigations led by George Momanyi are also looking for a woman who is implicated to have been with Mutindi in the subsequent murder of Shantel.
The detention of the two now brings to four suspects being held in custody at the Kitengela police station. The four will be arraigned at the same court on June 15, 2021.
Livingstone Makacha a Kitengela based bodaboda rider was found in possession of the phone that was used to demand ksh300, 000 ramsons from Christine Ngina while Francis Mbuthia's identity card was used to register the sim card.
The DCI officers so far say they have a watertight case against the suspects in custody.
They say the motive of the murder could have been monetary but investigating a possible mistaken identity where Shantel could have died in place of her best friend Sharon.
Isinya director of criminal investigations Jeremiah Ndubai said investigators have so far profiled the woman and are looking for her hideout.
"We are concluding unravelling this murder and we have evidence that will help us come to the bottom of this matter," Ndubai said.
The four suspects are being held at Kitengela police station.
