Rita Waeni Muendo, the slain Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) student, has been laid to rest at her parents’ home in Mukimwani Village, Kisau location, Makueni County.
In a private ceremony attended solely by family members, Waeni was buried on Monday morning, as confirmed by the family. They expressed their gratitude for the understanding of their larger family, friends, colleagues, and many Kenyans who shared in their loss.
“We are at peace because we know that our larger family, friends, colleagues, and many Kenyans who have shared this loss will understand this decision,” said the family. “We thank everyone for their support, contributions, and for constantly praying for us.”
Condolences for the deceased’s parents and extended family were also welcomed by the family.
Waeni met a tragic end on January 14, 2024, in a short-term accommodation apartment in Roysambu area, Nairobi, where her suspected killer dismembered her body.
The apartment manager, Risper Muthoni, disclosed that the alleged killer secured the room on Saturday, January 13, at 3 pm. Following the payment, guests were entitled to an uninterrupted stay until the scheduled check-out time, as per the apartment policy.
The macabre discovery was made the next day when the caretaker reported finding suspicious polythene bags and a blood-soaked bed sheet on the staircase. Despite attempts to receive a response, Muthoni and her team entered the unlocked room, where everything seemed normal except for blood stains at the door.
A report was filed at Kasarani Police Station, and the family later revealed that Waeni had left her aunt’s house in Syokimau to meet a friend.
Upon visiting the scene, officers found the dismembered body without a head. The family conclusively identified the head on January 25, after it was discovered at Kiambaa dam in Kiambu County during an autopsy conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor.
Dr. Oduor stated that the findings indicated Waeni died of strangulation before being brutally dismembered.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) released Waeni’s body to her family on February 2, 2024. Two Nigerian nationals have been arrested and arraigned in connection with the gruesome murder.
