DCI: How 3 am Fight Over Job Led To Woman's Body Stashed In Suitcase

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday, April 28 revealed behind-the-scenes events that led to the mysterious murder of a woman whose body was found stashed in a suitcase in Ruiru, Kiambu County on April 18, 2023.

This is as DCI detectives obtained CCTV footage which will be crucial in unravelling the murder mystery of the young woman.

Ryspa Ndunge’s lifeless body was discovered at the gate to a rental building by tenants of Mitikenda within the Gatongora area of Ruiru, prompting detectives to immediately launch investigations into the shocking incident. 

Body of a woman found dumped outside an apartment in Ruiru Kiambu County on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. /DCI

According to the DCI, the deceased worked as a cashier at a busy nyama choma eatery located at Kamakis along the Eastern Bypass.

She had barely five months ago moved in with his boyfriend Morris Njuguna, 28, a chef at the same establishment. However, due to the nature of their duties, the couple would arrive home at varied times.

Njuguna would be the first to arrive home before 10 pm, while Ndunge would be dropped home later in the devil’s hours at around 3 am. 

"This didn’t go down well with Morris who suspected that all that time was not spent on balancing the day’s sales as alleged, but on other suspicious activities. 

"This became the source of constant arguments in their young union and on April 17, 2023, the argument degenerated into a fight leading to the deceased’s demise, after she arrived past 3 am," stated the DCI in part.

On the same morning, Njuguna left the house and went to work as usual. He informed his colleagues that the deceased had quit her job and they would be moving out of their house to an unspecified destination. 

That evening, he went back to the house carrying a sack which he had bought earlier in the day. He placed Ndunge’s body in a travel suitcase before covering it with the sack. 

The suspect then carried the lifeless body disguised as a piece of luggage, and after one kilometre, disposed of it outside the gate to a rental building, before walking off. CCTV footage obtained by detectives showed the suspect carrying the suitcase at around 9:35 pm before dumping it. 

"The shocking discovery of the deceased’s body was reported at Gatongora police station by the landlord of the building close to where Ryspa’s remains were dumped, vide O/B number 25/18/4/2023. 

"Detectives based at DCI Ruiru who are investigating the case arrested Morris 3 days later on April 21, 2023, and recorded statements from various witnesses," added the DCI.

The sleuths also arrested a second suspect Francis Chege, 32, in Mukuyu, Murang’a County, who was found in possession of the deceased’s phone. Chege, who is a cousin to the main suspect claimed to have been given the phone by Njuguna. 

The main suspect also led detectives to the shop where he had bought the sack used in concealing the suitcase carrying the deceased’s body. 

Njuguna is currently in custody as detectives finalize investigations into the heinous murder, before charging him with murder contrary to section 203 as read with section 204 of the penal code. 

DCI detectives at a crime scene. /FILE