Kasarani Death Puzzles: Police Give Way Forward on Jeff Mwathi Case

Investigations into the death of Jeff Mwathi could take a new turn after police on Sunday, March 26, confirmed that they will move to court to obtain orders to exhume his body.

Inspector General of Police Japhet stated that the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin made the request after inconsistencies the police established during investigations.

The agency requested to examine the body to clear the grey areas and determine the direction the probe would take.

“The DCI has brought to my attention one case where we shall go to court to obtain an order for exhumation. We were informed that the deceased jumped from a house and assessed the window

“We need to have that body exhumed, look at the dimensions of the opening, and compare it to his body,” Koome noted.

Addressing claims of a cover-up of Mwathi’s alleged murder, the IG assured Kenyans that if it is established as a homicide, then whoever is found culpable would face the law.

The police boss acknowledged the spike in the recent death cases in Kasarani estate involving victims ‘jumping off’ buildings. He explained the delay in arresting suspects and releasing investigation findings.

“When anyone dies, we identify it as sudden death under the Criminal Procedure Code. The police then start an inquiry to determine whether it is murder or suicide,” he explained.

His clarification came days after Members of Parliament (MPs) from Kiambu County questioned why nobody was arrested in Mwathi’s case two weeks after Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki instructed the DCI to probe the death.

Since the demise of the 22-year-old, four other deaths have been reported in the area. On March 12, Blair Muthomi jumped from the rooftop of a six-storey building a few meters away from where Mwathi died.

A political mobiliser, Joseph Kubende, and Brenda Kawira allegedly jumped from two separate buildings on March 22 and 23 respectively.

On March 21, Kikuyu gospel artist Paul Mathenge was apprehended by the police after Nakuru-based pastor Elizabeth Wanjiru, was found dead in his house in Kasarani, Nairobi County.