The family of the girl who was brutally murdered in a lodging in the Roysambu area, Nairobi County, on the night of Sunday, has come forward to explain how their daughter met her untimely death.
The girl has been identified as Rita Waeni Muendo, 20, who was heading into her fourth year at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
In a statement on Wednesday, the family revealed that their daughter left her aunt’s house on Saturday, January 13, 2024, in the Syokimau area, Machakos County, to meet a friend.
On Sunday, January 14, the father received a message from the girl’s phone, demanding a ransom of Ksh 500,000 within 24 hours for her release.
“Following the message, we reported the incident to the police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). We received two more messages instructing us to pay the ransom,” the family explained.
However, the family did not receive further details about the ransom or a way to negotiate with the individuals regarding the payment.
“We were given more instructions when our child had already been killed,” they stated.
“After searching for our child with great anguish, in collaboration with the DCI, we identified her as the girl who was brutally murdered on the night of Sunday near Thika Road Mall (TRM), January 14. We believe she was deceived by her murderer, who attempted to extort money even after killing her,” they added.
They continued: “We have a lot of sorrow due to Waeni’s death, especially the brutal way in which she was killed. We are struggling to accept the reality of this incident.”
The family described their daughter as intelligent beyond her years, diligent, generous, and always cheerful.
On Tuesday, the police announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the murder. According to the police, one of the suspects is a Nigerian national, apprehended while attempting to leave the country at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
