This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
On October 24, 2019, Joyce Syombua announced that she was planning to visit Major Peter Mugure in Nanyuki along with her two children, Shanice and Prince Michael. However, Elizabeth Maua, Joyce's mother, had doubts about the safety of the three.
Speaking to Citizen TV, Elizabeth revealed that there had been attempts earlier this year to poison 10-year-old Shanice and 5-year-old Michael. The attempts were made a week before DNA tests were conducted to determine whether Major Peter Mugure was their biological father.
Elizabeth recounted that the Major had given soda to the children, which they did not drink. However, when they arrived home, one of the children had fallen ill after consuming the soda. The incident was confirmed by a shopkeeper who had sold the soda to the Major.
According to Elizabeth, the attempts to poison the children had a negative impact on their relationship with the Major. She stated that the Major had even asked one of the children if he wanted to die.
Elizabeth further stated that she first met the Major during a parents' day meeting for her daughter at Gilgil Girls Secondary School. However, she does not know much about him. She added that the two had been in an on and off relationship since, and that the Major has another family in Nanyuki.
Farizana, a close friend to Joyce, also revealed that the Major had expressed doubts about whether he was the father of the two children. He had even told a government chemist that he was 50-50 sure that Shanice was his child, but 100% sure that Michael was not.
The Chief Magistrate Court at Milimani ruled that the Major was indeed the biological father to the two children in July this year after the DNA tests confirmed it.
Major Mugure is the prime suspect in the murder of Joyce and her two children, Shanice and Michael. Their bodies were recovered by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives on Saturday evening at a gravesite not too far from the Nanyuki airbase.
