Blogger Sniper Murder: DPP Slaps Kawira Mwangaza's Brother With Murder Charges

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has approved murder charges against Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza's brother, Murangiri Kenneth Guantai, alias Tali concerning the murder of Meru-based blogger Daniel Muthiani commonly known as Sniper.

The ODPP released its update on Thursday night, January 18 after the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) forwarded an inquiry file to the ODPP for perusal and advice.

DPP Renson Mulele Ingonga revealed that he was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to sustain the murder charge against Murangiri as well as Vincent Mureithi Kirimi, alias Supuu.

"Upon thorough analysis of the facts, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to sustain the charge of murder against Vincent Mureithi Kirimi alias Supuu and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai alias Tali," stated ODPP in part.

"Consequently, the DPP has directed that Vincent Mureithi Kirimi alias Supuu and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai alias Tali be arraigned before the High Court at Kiambu for the offence of Murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code forthwith."

In the meantime, the ODPP announced that it filed two miscellaneous applications against five other suspects which are pending before Kibera Law Courts.

"The DPP shall upon completion of the investigations issue appropriate directions. The ODPP undertakes to prosecute the matter expeditiously," added the statement.

Murangiri was among five suspects arrested for the murder of Sniper on Friday, January 5 as the DCI filed an application seeking to detain the five suspects who include Kenneth Mutua, Fredrick Muriuki, Frankline Kimathi and Timothy Kinoti, Governor Mwangaza's son.

The five suspects were arrested on Thursday, January 4 in Meru County with the investigation officials booking them in various police stations in Kiambu and Nairobi County.

“That from the time the respondents were arrested and the time to conclude the investigations have not been adequate and the applicant requires 21 days to enable the conclusion of the investigations while the respondent is in police custody,” the application read.

The following day, police mounted a raid on Mwangaza's official residence in Milimani Estate, Meru town. Furthermore, Mwangaza's husband Murega Baichu and her sister, Miriam Guantai, recorded police statements in connection with the murder.

On January 16, a Kiambu court declined to give investigators a further 14 days to detain six suspects linked to the murder of the blogger and instead directed that they take a plea by January 17.

Kiambu senior principal magistrate Merissa Opondo said the six had been already held for a long time and that their rights would be violated if they were not charged.

Sniper disappeared on December 2, 2023, and his body was found dumped in Mutonga River in Tharaka Nithi County on December 16, 2023.

A post-mortem done by government pathologist Johansen Oduor on the deceased revealed that he died of strangulation, with Sniper’s kin urging the relevant authorities to do further investigations.

According to the pathologist, Sniper had marks on his neck and he exhibited signs of a person who had lacked oxygen as well as fractured ribs and injuries on his head which suggested that he was strangled before being thrown into a river.

Deceased Meru-based blogger Daniel Muthiani commonly known as Sniper. /FILE