A woman was on Sunday night arrested for allegedly being behind the murder of her husband.
The Nairobi businessman died in unclear circumstances in Watamu.
Amina Shiraz, the wife of Jimmy Baburam, is the key suspect in the murder. She was arrested on Sunday at the Moi international Airport, Mombasa, moments before she boarded a plane to fly out of the country.
Her arrest followed directives by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who ordered her to be nabbed and charged with murder. She was locked up at the Malindi police station.
Detectives are also looking for an American businessman believed to have colluded with Shiraz.
Jacob Schmalzle is suspected to have drowned his friend in a Watamu resort swimming pool in July last year. Baburam died on July 26, 2015 at Medina Palms.
The American is said to have escaped from his Nairobi home after detectives found fresh evidence, linking him to the murder.
Police investigations indicate the two, who have been in a secret relationship, collaborated to murder Baburam, while on a family holiday at the resort.
Yesterday, Shiraz was charged at the High Court in Malindi, but could not take a plea after the DPP asked the court to grant them time to conduct a mental assessment. She appeared before Justice Said Chitembwe.
Assistant DPP Vincent Monda said he had orders from the DPP to charge the suspect with murder. He also asked the court not to grant the suspect bail.
However, Shiraz’s lawyer Kimani Gicheru opposed the DPP’s application. “I don’t see any reason on the issue of mental assessment coming in,” he said. The lawyer said the suspect has been attending court proceedings all the time.
Chitembwe ordered the suspect to be taken for mental assessment today and be brought to court tomorrow.