Velji Jayaben Jayeshikumar, the wife of slain Indian businessman Jayesh Kumar, has been remanded into police custody for a period of 14 days following her arrest and arraignment at the Kibera Law Courts.
Jayaben’s apprehension on Wednesday came after investigations uncovered her communication with one of the four other suspects already in police custody on the day her husband was murdered and his body subjected to acid.
Reports suggest underlying domestic issues between the couple, with indications that Jayaben sought assistance from an acquaintance to address her marital discord. Appearing before Magistrate Irene Kahuya, Jayaben faced allegations of potential involvement in the plot to murder her husband, whose body was discovered doused in acid in Lukenya, Machakos County, on Valentine’s Day.
Although not formally charged, the prosecution sought a 21-day detention period for further investigations. Jayaben’s defense, represented by lawyer Ifran Kassam, contested this, advocating for a shorter detention period of seven days, citing her lack of flight risk, as her passport is in police custody, and her familial responsibilities caring for her son and mother-in-law.
Ultimately, the court granted the prosecution’s request for a 14-day custody extension.
Magistrate Kahuya remarked, “Jayaben is suspected to have been complicit in the murder plot, as phone records indicate her communication with one of the four suspects arrested earlier and presented at Kibera Law Courts on February 19th. Allegedly, she solicited assistance from the suspect to discipline and harm her husband due to their disagreements, leading to the recruitment of others to carry out the plan.”
CCTV footage captured Jayaben in the company of her husband and son on Valentine’s Day morning, around 7 am. It’s believed she made a pivotal call to the purported perpetrators to execute the plan. Subsequent communication revealed her dismay upon learning of her husband’s death, indicating that the initial intent was merely to threaten him.
Authorities are yet to conduct DNA analysis on the recovered remains, believed to be those of Kumar. Additionally, they seek to verify the immigration status of two suspects, both Indian nationals, and mandate mental health evaluations for all suspects before formal charges are filed.
