Valerian Njeri
Fredrick Mwonjoria, a 22-year-old university student, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by the High Court in Naivasha for the murder of a 15-year-old girl in November 2019.
The ruling, delivered by High Court Judge Grace Nzioka, concludes a five-year legal battle that has deeply affected the victim's family. Mwonjoria, who was a minor at the time of the crime, was convicted of stabbing Valerian Njeri twelve times in the Mirera estate near Naivasha. Court records indicate that the attack occurred after Njeri allegedly rejected Mwonjoria's advances.
Njeri's body was discovered outside Mwonjoria's residence, and forensic evidence linked him to the crime scene. Judge Nzioka emphasized the brutality of the crime, noting that Mwonjoria lured Njeri to his home before the fatal assault. Postmortem results confirmed the intent behind the attack, highlighting its heinous nature.
The judge also pointed to Mwonjoria's behaviour after the crime—concealing the body and acting normally with his family—as indicative of a disturbing disposition. While the court acknowledged mitigating factors related to Mwonjoria's age at the time of the crime, it ruled out life imprisonment or capital punishment. Judge Nzioka stated that the severity of his actions warranted a substantial custodial sentence.
“After murdering the girl, the accused hid her body under his bed and shared dinner with his family as if nothing had happened. These actions portray a disturbing character,” she stated.
The court also noted that Mwonjoria could continue his education in prison, citing instances of inmates achieving academic success while incarcerated.
Following the judgment, Valerian Njeri’s father John Ndunu has expressed relief, acknowledging the emotional and financial strain the legal process had placed on his family. He stresses the importance of the court's decision in helping them move forward, despite the pain of losing his daughter.
“We welcome the court’s ruling and will now try to move on with our lives, albeit painfully, as this girl meant a lot to our family,” he said.
In other news, tragedy struck in Juja, Kiambu County, on Thursday as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Susan Mangiso Sarioyo was found dead in her compound. The officer, who was in charge of personnel at the Kasarani police sub-county and on leave at the time of her death, was discovered in a poultry house within the Jacaranda Court Estate. Neighbours reported hearing screams emanating from her residence prior to the discovery of her lifeless body.
Senior police officers have visited the scene, lauding Sarioyo as a dedicated and attentive colleague. Her body has been transported to the mortuary for an autopsy as investigations into the cause of death are underway. This incident marks the second death of a female police officer in recent weeks, following a similar occurrence in Mombasa where an officer collapsed and died outside Mbaraki police station two weeks prior. The cause of death in that instance has not been disclosed.
In a separate incident in Nairobi's Kayole area, 70-year-old Joseph Ogal died after falling from a stool while repairing a chicken house roof. Ogal, who was contracted to perform the repairs on the third floor of an apartment building in Soweto, is believed to have slipped, sustaining fatal head injuries. His body was discovered several hours after the incident. Police investigating the scene found Ogal's body with head injuries, his head and back on the floor and his legs on the stool he had been standing on.