Government pathologist Johansen Odour has revealed that the cause of death for 20-year-old Rita Waeni was strangulation, followed by the gruesome act of dismemberment.
On Thursday, Odour confirmed that a forensic DNA analysis would be conducted to establish definitively whether the severed head discovered in a dam in Kiambaa, Kiambu County, belonged to the deceased victim.
Earlier in the week, Odour had noted that the initial autopsy on the dismembered body was inconclusive, pointing to a meticulously planned effort by the killer to hide evidence.
During the examination, identifying strangulation marks and evidence of blunt trauma on the body proved challenging. Odour explained, "From all this, what caused the death was strangulation after which she was decapitated and the body dumped."
Waeni's family later positively identified the severed head at the City Mortuary in Nairobi, examining features such as the forehead, hair, and teeth formation.
The head, discovered by locals in a dam on Sunday, had been submerged for several days, obscuring external marks that could provide crucial evidence.
Detectives from the Homicide department at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took over the case to analyze existing forensic evidence, leading to the postponement of the head's autopsy until further investigation.
Pathologist Odour indicated that the inner layers of the skin would offer critical evidence of the circumstances leading to Waeni's tragic end. He suggested that the killers exhibited a high level of professionalism in the brutal murder.
Meanwhile, two Nigerian suspects were apprehended and held at Kasarani Police Station after being traced to a flat in Ndenderu, Kiambu County, near the location where the severed head was discovered.
During a search of the suspects' residence, police recovered an axe, a butcher's knife, three laptops, and other items. The detained individuals are scheduled to appear in court on January 31, 2024.
Detectives will also scrutinize CCTV footage revealing one suspect obtaining keys to the short-term rentals from a shop owner.
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Category: News
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