Mugure murder case: Detectives arrest another suspect

One more suspect linked to the murder involving Major Peter Mugure has been arrested.

The suspect, identified as 48-year-old James Maina Mwangi, is a technician at Nanyuki 43 Ordinance Composite Company.

“(He) is believed to have planned the execution and disposal of the bodies, together with the main suspect – Major Peter Mwaura,” the DCI said on Friday.

Joyce Syombua (31) and two children; Shanice Maua (10) and Prince Michael (5), had been reported missing for three weeks after they visited Mugure at the Army Airbase in Nanyuki.

Mugure had previously been ordered by a court of law to pay maintenance costs for his children after DNA tests proved paternity.

Reports indicate that he and Syombua had not been on good terms.

Syombua’s mother told police that Mugure had allegedly tried to poison the children before but failed.

On November 16, the bodies of Syombua and her children were discovered at Makaburini in Thingithu area; the children were stacked on top of their mother.

21-year-old Collins Pamba, a casual labourer at the senior officers’ mess in the Laikipia Airbase, is alleged to have aided Major Mugure in burying the bodies.

Collins led the detectives to Thingithu area and pointed out the exact spot where the bodies had been buried in a shallow grave.

A postmortem later revealed that Syombua died from injuries on her head and brain inflicted by a blunt object while her two children were strangled to death with a rope.

Mugure, the main suspect, was detained for 21 days pending conclusion of investigations.

“We believe there are other suspects still at large who are involved and police need to trace and arrest them,” said Peter Mailanyi, Central region’s Senior Deputy Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions.

The matter is set for mentioning on December 9, 2019.