Seth Nyakio murder: Key suspect arrested in Busia near Uganda border

The late Seth Nyakio Njeri

Police have arrested the prime suspect in the murder of Seth Nyakio Njeri, whose body was found at a friend’s house in Biafra Estate, Thika, on October 14, 2024.

The suspect is said to have fled the scene immediately after allegedly killing the 23-year-old daughter of a Kirinyaga politician.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) later released the suspect’s photo and launched a manhunt led by homicide detectives.

For months, officers pursued forensic leads and conducted extensive investigations that eventually led them to the suspect’s hideout.

In an update issued on December 13, the DCI said detectives from the homicide unit, working alongside colleagues from Kisii South and Busia, arrested the suspect—popularly known as “Sultan”—in Busia.

“Detectives trailed and arrested him today in Busia town near the Kenya–Uganda border, where he had been working at a cereal distribution shop while hiding in plain sight. The suspect is currently in custody, undergoing processing pending arraignment,” the DCI said.

Nyakio met her death shortly after graduating. She was studying media at Zetech University.

Her lifeless body was discovered on October 14, 2024, inside Blessings Building in Biafra Estate, Thika town.

An autopsy revealed that she had been assaulted and strangled. The body had bruises on the neck, cheeks, thighs, and other areas, indicating that she likely fought her attacker.

An ex-boyfriend was initially named by police as a possible suspect in the murder.

Nyakio’s mother, a nominated MCA in Kirinyaga, described her daughter as “lovable, charming, and deeply respectful”.

She said that a day before her body was discovered, Nyakio had been sending her updates about her whereabouts, including photos of her with friends during a swimming session.

The family grew concerned after she failed to return home later that night.

During her funeral service on October 30, 2024, her mother made an emotional appeal for thorough investigations and justice.

“I can see so many faces, and I’m telling you, amongst us there are people who are named as the suspects of the said murder. And wherever you are in this church, I can feel you.

"God has given me the courage. I’m looking around, and I can find you,” she said.

Mourners at the funeral urged security and investigative agencies to work round the clock to apprehend those responsible, amid growing public outrage over a worrying trend of young women and girls turning up dead shortly after going missing.