Jennifer Mwende murder: Two suspects arraigned, lament of sexual torture in police custody

The two women however failed to take a plea as they had not undergone mental assessment.

Machakos High Court judge Margaret Muigai ordered their mental evaluation at Machakos Level 5 Hospital on the 18th of October and for the medical report to be issued on the same day.

The accused; Everlyn Katumbu and Faith Nthemba, claimed that police officers had sexually and physically tortured them while detained at Mlolongo. 

The defendants' lawyer, advocate Mutava stated that they are awaiting medical assessment to evaluate the injuries suffered under police custody. 

The two are currently being held at Machakos Prison for their safety.

The decomposing body of 29-year-old Mwende was discovered dumped in a pit latrine in Mlolongo area on September 12 after she had gone missing for about two weeks.

Mwende is said to have received a phone call early on the morning of Friday, August 25th, from a person posing as a client in need of her hairdressing services at their home. She left, never to return.

A post-mortem conducted at Montezuma Monalisa Mortuary in Machakos town last month indicated that Mwende died from asphyxiation, caused by manual neck compression.

The suspects in the gruesome murder were arraigned and police granted 10 days to continue holding them in custody.