University students face murder charge

Two USIU Nairobi students were yesterday charged with murdering a fellow student. Duncan Livingstone Kimanthi and Winnie Wairimu Kariuki denied the charge before High Court judge Nicholas Ombija. The United States International University duo denied murdering Sarah Akello Aruwa on June 30 and July 1 at Kiamaiko area in Githunguri, Kiambu county, jointly with others not in court. Kimanthi and Wairimu are represented by lawyer Stanley Kang’ahi.

The state led by Catherine Mwaniki and Daniel Karuri applied for the students to be remanded at Kasarani CID offices for one week to give police time to complete their investigations. The two students are facing another charge of abduction before a Makadara court where they are accused of abducting a University of Nairobi student Melissa Ouko. They will be escorted to the court today for the mention of the case. The prosecutors said they are likely to prefer more charges against Kimanthi and Wairimu after the investigations.

Justice Ombija allowed the application and ordered the accused be remanded at Kasarani police station until Tuesday when they will be brought back for further direction. The prosecution states Aruwa, aged 24, was kidnapped on June 30 by people who demanded a ransom of Sh100,000 from her parents to release her. Aruwa’s body was later found in the bush at Ngewa, Kiambu on July 1.

The fourth-year student in International Relations was abducted after she left her room in Roysambu area to visit a colleague who lived in Doonholm. Police say she left a note bearing the name and the number of the man she was going to visit in Doonholm. It is the note that was used by the police to track down the suspects. Aruwa was due to complete her studies next month.

Cases of abduction in the universities are on the increase as Aruwa's is the second one to be reported in a span of two months. The prosecution intends to consolidate the abduction case with that of murder. The trial will start on December 5.