This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
Published on October 25, 2019, a court in Kenya has granted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) orders to detain a man who allegedly confessed to abducting, robbing, and killing Father Michael Kyengo Maingi of Embu parish.
Michael Muthini Mutunga will be held at Kilimani police station for 10 days while an investigation into the murder is concluded.
Corporal Julio Mutembei of the DCI's Special Crimes Prevention Unit obtained the orders before Principal Magistrate Helen Okwany.
According to Mutembei, Mutunga had confessed to abducting and robbing the deceased cleric of his vehicle registration KCQ 665S and other valuables, jointly with others not before the court, before killing him and dumping his body.
The suspect was arrested on October 15, 2019, after being found in possession of the car, eight days after Father Maingi was reported missing.
Mutunga had been in communication with Father Maingi before the cleric's phone went off on October 12.
The suspect volunteered to take detectives to the location where Father Maingi's body was dumped at Mashamba, a seasonal river between Makima trading centre and Mathare market in Mbeere sub-county.
Father Maingi's body is currently preserved at a morgue awaiting autopsy.
The suspect has also volunteered to provide information that could help the SCPU arrest his accomplices, as contained in a sworn affidavit filed in court.
The suspect will also assist in recovering more items stolen from the deceased priest.
He is set to return to court on November 6, 2019.
