This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
On November 16, 2019, the bodies of Joyce Syombua (31) and her two children, Shanice Maua (10) and Prince Michael (5), were discovered at Makaburini in Thingithu area, buried in a shallow grave.
Major Peter Mugure, a senior army officer, had been ordered by a court to pay maintenance costs for his children after DNA tests proved paternity, but he and Syombua had reportedly not been on good terms.
According to police, Mugure had allegedly tried to poison the children before but failed.
On November 29, 2019, detectives arrested 48-year-old James Maina Mwangi, a technician at Nanyuki 43 Ordinance Composite Company, who is believed to have planned the execution and disposal of the bodies with Mugure.
Collins Pamba, a casual labourer at the senior officers' mess in the Laikipia Airbase, had previously been arrested and led detectives to the burial site, where the bodies were found.
A postmortem revealed that Syombua died from injuries on her head and brain inflicted by a blunt object, while her two children were strangled to death with a rope.
Major Mugure was detained for 21 days pending conclusion of investigations, and the matter is set for mentioning on December 9, 2019.
