Utawala Taxi Driver Murder: Cop Among 2 Arrested As DCI Go After Wife

Two suspects, among them a police officer, connected to the abduction and subsequent murder of Utawala taxi driver Evans Bikundo Moracha, whose body was recovered at River Sagana on October 14, 2023, have been arrested.

According to a report by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday, October 27, the duo were arrested by Nairobi Region Crime Research detectives following a night-long operation in Nyeri and Kajiado counties.

The two, Stanley Collins Muthika and Kennedy Murimi Kinyua were arrested in Nyeri's Ruringu village and Olekasasi-Ongata Rongai in Kajiado North respectively.

Photo of slain Utawala taxi driver, Evans Moracha. /FILE

"The deceased's disappearance was reported by his wife Teresa Masesi Kerubo at Mihang'o Police Station on October 14, indicating that he and his vehicle a Toyota Vitz Reg. No. KDH 833M had been missing for three days. The deceased's phone was also offline," narrated the DCI in part.

According to the detectives, it was on the same day that the Assistant Chief Githuri sub-location in Murang'a County reported to the police that an unknown male body had been found at River Sagana. The body that lay naked had multiple head injuries.

Police took the body to Murang'a Level 5 Hospital Mortuary for autopsy and identification through fingerprinting and analysis at the National Registration Bureau (NRB) offices. It was identified as that of Evans Moracha, whose wife had reported missing.

"The Nairobi Region crime researchers backed up by the operations unit took over the matter in a scrupulous manhunt for the monstrous faces behind the heinous murder.

"Acting on intelligence, the team furthered their pursuit to Ruringu village in Nyeri County yesterday where Collins Muthike was arrested," added the DCI.

Upon interrogation, the suspect led the detectives to Olekasasi in Ongata Rongai where the second suspect, Kennedy Murimi Kinyua was nabbed.

After running a profile of the second suspect, detectives found him to be a police officer based at Akila Police Station in Lang'ata, but who has been on interdiction after deserting the service. He is in the rank of a Constable and designated as a driver in the station.

A search in his house saw the recovery of the deceased's mobile phone and a stun torch which the suspect confessed to having used to light their way to River Sagana where they disposed of the body.

The two suspects have since been placed separately at Capitol Hill and Kilimani Police Stations pending further interrogations.

Meanwhile, forensic-led intelligence has since revealed a well-choreographed murder plot that challenges the mere disappearance and sudden death of the 47-year-old Moracha.

"In the new establishments, detectives have established that Moracha did not just disappear but was picked from his house by the killer duo on the night of Oct 11, in the presence of his wife.

"Days later, the deceased's car was stealthily driven back to Teresa's (the wife) neighbourhood and securely abandoned a safe distance from her house," established the DCI.

Cyber-crime detectives whose services have been sought linked Teresa to the two suspects, after numerous conversations including negotiations for unclarified payments among the three were retrieved.

The communication dated back to before Moracha's abduction, during and after the recovery of the body.

Police hence believe that Teresa, whose arrest DCI had termed as imminent, is the mastermind behind her husband's heinous murder, and that her report on the missing husband might have been an afterthought after getting wind of the body's recovery in Murang'a.

Investigations are ongoing to unravel the motive behind the homicide.

A photo of an abandoned car belonging to slain Utawala taxi driver, Evans Moracha. /DCI