I Wanted Him Beaten- Wife Of Indian Businessman Who Was Killed On Valentines Day

It has now emerged that the wife of an Indian businessman who was killed on Valentine's Day in the Kilili area, Machakos County, had intended to discipline her husband and not have him killed.

Jayaben Jayeshikumar, who was arrested over the murder of Jayesh Kumar Kanji on Wednesday, February 21 was held in police custody for 14 days after she was arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts.

The arrest came after investigations revealed that she was in communication with one of four other suspects in police custody, on the day her husband was killed and his body doused in acid.

Jayaben appeared before Magistrate Irene Kahuya after a probe revealed that she could have participated in the gruesome murder plot targeting her husband.

It was believed that the couple had domestic problems before Jayaben contracted a friend to have the husband disciplined.

She made a call to the alleged killers to execute the mission, with the other suspect reportedly sending her a text three hours later informing her that they had finished the job.

The plan was just to beat up Jayesh and warn him, but Jayaben was shocked to discover that her husband had been killed. 

“Jayaben is alleged to have been involved in the murder plot after phone analysis revealed that she was in contact with one of the four suspects who were arrested and arraigned at Kibera Law Courts on February 19th,” said Magistrate Kahuya.

“She is reported to have asked the suspect to help discipline and torture her husband as the two had disagreements...The other suspect agreed and recruited others to execute the plan.”

Jayaben was however not charged after the prosecution requested 21 days to detain her as detectives continued with investigations.

Through her lawyer Ifran Kassam, she opposed the application requesting the court to grant the prosecution only seven days to hold her, arguing that she is not a flight risk as police have her passport and that she lives with her son and mother-in-law who depend on her.

The court nonetheless granted the prosecution 14 days to hold her in police custody.

Jayaben was captured on CCTV alongside Jayesh and their child walking along Kodi Road in Nairobi West on Wednesday morning, February 14.

The family headed towards the estate's main gate while the businessman diverted to meet a friend who was driving a white Toyota Prado. Moments later, Kanji was picked up by his friend at a local petrol station and the two proceeded to Machakos County to conduct land transactions in the area.

It was here where reports indicated that three hitmen ambushed Kanji and his friend shortly after arriving at a conservancy in Kilili at around 11 am. 

The businessman was reportedly hit with a blunt object at the back of his head before the alleged hitmen removed his clothes and poured acid on his body.

Guards manning the conservancy reported the matter after they found the body in a deteriorated state. Police officers were then dispatched to the scene where they processed the body and ferried it to a morgue pending a postmortem. 

Among the items recovered at the crime scene as exhibits were broken glasses and an earring, believed to belong to the deceased.

Police also picked pieces of bones, a checked shirt with blood stains, a shoe and a metal rod from the area. A motorbike, suspected to have been the suspects' getaway vehicle, was found a few metres from the scene.

Police are yet to conduct DNA tests on the bones that were recovered from the scene of the crime believed to be those of Kumar.

They also want to confirm the immigration status of two suspects who are Indian nationals and also ensure that all five suspects undergo mental examination before facing charges.

A photo collage of an Indian businessman captured on CCTV footage walking with his wife and child in Nairobi West on February 14, 2024. /CITIZEN TV