Police in Thika are investigating the death of 19-year-old University student Faith Musembi whose lifeless body was found inside her rented house in Thika.
The Mount Kenya University (MKU) student is suspected to have been killed on Wednesday night with her family demanding justice and blaming the police for a series of blunders.
The deceased’s father, Boniface Musembi revealed that he received a call from an individual who demanded a ransom of Sh20,000 for the release of their daughter.
The call was made using the deceased’s phone and Musembi’s wife quickly sent the money while he headed to Thika to pursue the matter.
Upon arrival in Thika, Musembi reported the matter at Thika Police Station where he alleged that officers downplayed his concerns, dismissing the matter as a trick by the now deceased, her friends or her boyfriend to get money from him.
A desperate Musembi who was not satisfied with the response went to Mount Kenya University to seek help in tracing her daughter, arriving past midnight and spending the night at the institution.
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He made his way to his daughter’s house on Thursday morning but found it locked from inside. A vegetable vendor operating nearby told Musembi that he had sold vegetable to his daughter the previous evening.
Father alleges police downplayed his report on missing daughter & demand for ransom
The grieving father recounted that he went to Thika DCI office where he reported the matter, but like in the previous instance, officers there downplayed his concerns, claiming that it is a trick used by students to obtain money from their guardians.
Musembi recounted that he decided to break into his daughter’s house and found her daughter’s lifeless body in the house.
The distraught father now faults the police for what he termed as laxity in pursuing the matter when he first brought it to their attention, as well as when he reported the same to Thika DCI office.
Demand for more ransom and confession of murdering Faith Musembi
While Musembi was in Thika, determined to unearth her daughter’s whereabouts, the deceased’s uncle, Joseph Kinaka texted her line on Thursday morning and was met with a demand for more ransom.
The individual in possession of the phone demanded Sh33,000 insisting that she would be killed if the money is not sent.
Kinaka narrated that he received photos from the person in possession of the deceased’s phone and after confronted the individual who later admitted to have already killed Faith.
The deceased’s phone which was used to demand the ransom has since been switched off and when tracked, was found to be operating from Nairobi town.
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The body of the deceased was moved to General Kago Funeral Home in Thika with an autopsy revealing that she succumbed due to excessive bleeding in the uterus caused by placental abruption (the placenta had detached itself leading to excessive bleeding).