The Thika Law Courts have granted an application by the police to detain the primary suspect in the gruesome murder of 19-year-old Mount Kenya University student Faith Musembi.
David Kioko, 25, appeared before Thika Chief Magistrate Phillip Mutua on Tuesday, where the Investigating Officer (IO) Oscar Limo sought a 21-day detention period to complete ongoing investigations into the murder.
Kioko stands accused of killing the university student, whose lifeless body was discovered in her rented room at Pilot Estate on May 8, 2024.
Kioko was due to travel to the United States of America after landing a scholarship.
While making the application, Limo informed the court that the police require additional time to conduct another autopsy on the deceased’s body and collect samples to determine the DNA composition of her unborn foetus.
He also mentioned that the officers plan to assess the suspect’s mental state and record witness statements.
Limo added that detectives are still working to recover the deceased’s mobile phone, which will be later subjected to forensic analysis.
He, however, noted that the police have successfully recovered the deceased’s SIM card, which was used to ask for ransom from her parents before she was killed.
Magistrate Mutua granted the application on grounds that it is a matter of public interest but stated that the suspect be detained for just 14 days at the Thika Police Station.
The case will be mentioned on May 28, 2024.
Kioko was apprehended early Tuesday after preliminary investigations suggested that he killed Faith over alleged infidelity. Both the suspect and the victim hail from Machakos County.
The slain first-year student was eight months pregnant at the time of her death, and her lifeless body was discovered last week by her father in her rented room.