Lawrence Warunge, Accused of Killing His Family Members including US-Based Father is Still Unfit to Stand Trial, Court Told

The murder case against 22-year-old Lawrence Warunge has been postponed after the prosecution told the court that he is still unfit to stand trial.

The Mount Kenya University student was scheduled to appear at Kiambu law courts on Monday to face trial for the murder of five people, including four members of his family.

Warunge, who is currently being held at Industrial Area Remand Prison, will be taken to Mathari Hospital for a mental examination on March 5th.

Chief Magistrate Patricia Gichohi gave the prosecution until March 15th to issue an update on the suspect's mental health.

Warunge admitted he killed his father Nicholas Njoroge, mother Ann Wanjiku, his brother Christian Njenga, cousin Maxwell Njenga, and the family’s farmhand James Kinyanjui. Njoroge worked in the US as a nurse and had returned to the country to spend Christmas with his family.

The five were brutally murdered on the night of January 5th, 2021 in Karura village, Kiambaa, Kiambu County.

Following his arrest, Warunge led police to Mai Mahiu where he had disposed of the murder weapons and the clothes he wore during the massacre.

Warunge, who is the eldest son of Njoroge, told detectives that he researched on the internet the best way to eliminate his victims, adding that he was motivated by Villanelle, a psychopathic killer in the British show, “Killing Eve”.

Mental test results presented to the court on January 26th by a psychiatrist revealed that Warunge was unfit for trial. The magistrate directed the suspect be remanded for 30 days after which a mental assessment would be undertaken to establish whether he is ready to stand trial.