Two more women report assault cases by John Matara, Starlet Wahu's suspected killer

In a police report on Monday, a victim whose name has been withheld reported to Kahawa Sukari Police Station on May 17, 2023 that she was lured into meeting Matara through a dating app namely TAGGED.

She is said to have invited Matara to her house in Kahawa Sukari where the suspect allegedly fished out a knife after stripping her naked.

"Inserted his hands into the private parts of the lady Victim and sodomized her later before transferring a large amount of money to his phone," read the police report.

The case, reported as robbery with violence and sexual assault, is still under probe.

In another reported incident, a woman identified as XY a resident of Umoja 3, reported to the police on January 7, 2024, that she was also a victim of Matara's wrongdoings.

Through the same dating app TAGGED, XY is said to have been promised Ksh.25,000 by Matara if she was willing to engage in a coital act with him.  

She was then directed to pick a taxi and head to their meet-up place, a lodging room, in Thika.

Police say that XY was stripped naked upon entry into the room and was forced to reveal her Mpesa pin lest Matara would stab her.

"Luckily enough the lady was strong enough to kick the knife out of the suspect hand which fell underneath the bed. She screamed but the suspect managed to endeavour to suffocate her by inserting pants in the victim's mouth and covered her face with a pillow," read the report.

Responding to XY's loud yelps the caretaker knocked on the door forcing Matara to abandon his intended deed and managed to escape with the victim's phone.

"The lady victim was later rescued by the caretaker. The lady did not make the report after the incident because she feared the repurcursion from the suspect hence made this report after learning of the earlier murder incident on TikTok involving the suspect," read the report.

The two chilling incidents come a day after another victim reported to the Makadara sub-county headquarters claiming that she fell victim to the suspect on December 29, 2023, days after meeting on a dating site.

The victim who requested anonymity, described meeting Matara on a dating website before booking an Airbnb, where he launched a violent assault and demanded access to her financial accounts.

“I met this guy on a dating site..he seemed so nice and even took me on an Airbnb,” she told Citizen TV on Sunday.

“In the middle of the night, he started strangling me and even asked for my MPESA statements. He was trying to strangle me so much.”

After learning of Starlet Wahu's murder, the victim identified Matara as the perpetrator, confirming that the individual matched the person she encountered.

“It is the same guy. The number posted by DCI is the same used to transfer money to him which is John Ongoa Mtara,” she added.

Starlet Wahu was murdered in an Airbnb in Nairobi's South B area after she was captured on video entering a lift in the company of Matara at the Papino apartment block on Wednesday before disembarking on the fourth floor and proceeded to room Y32 where they reportedly spent the night.

Police discovered Wahu's lifeless body in a pool of blood inside the flat after the Airbnb's security reported the incident to authorities.

HIV test kits, used condoms, bhang, a bottle of alcohol and a blood-stained kitchen knife, believed to be the murder weapon, were recovered at the scene.

Matara reportedly left the premises in a hurry on Thursday morning, wearing bloodstained clothes. 

He was apprehended at Mbagathi Hospital, where he was being treated for a stab wound to his stomach.

Wahu was buried on Saturday at her parents' home in Ruai's Kamulu area. 

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Sunday evening said investigations currently point to “a possible serial sexual offender who thrives on blackmail to his victims,” and who may be part of a criminal ring that targets women on dating sites and social media.