Killing of Meru blogger 'Sniper': DPP orders murder charges on two suspects

This follows a recommendation by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who in a statement on Thursday evening said there is sufficient evidence to sustain a murder charge against Vincent Muriithi Kirimi alias Supuu and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai alias Tali.

"Consequently the DPP has directed that Vincent Muriithi Kirimi alias Supuu and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai alias Tali be arraigned before the High Court at Kiambu for the offence of murder," reads the statement in part.

‘Sniper’ disappeared on December 2 last year before his body was discovered two weeks later.

Five suspects would later be arrested in connection to the killing. They included; Kenneth Mutua Gatiri alias Gasigi, Fredrick Muruiki Kiugi alias Pope, Franklin Kimathi alias Dudu Ras, Timothy Kinoti alias Timo and Murangiri Kenneth Guantai alias Tali.

They were nabbed in Meru town within Meru County by detectives from the Homicide Investigation Department at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on January 4, 2024 and booked at various police stations within Nairobi and Kiambu.

A post-mortem examination conducted on the body of the deceased at the Marimanti Level 4 Hospital mortuary in Tharaka Nithi, Meru County, revealed that he died of strangulation.

Government pathologist Johansen Oduor, who conducted the examination, said Sniper had marks on his neck and exhibited signs of a person who had lacked oxygen.

He also had fractured ribs and showed injuries.