Nairobi — The main suspect implicated in the tragic murder of popular socialite Starlet Wahu Mwangi is now facing a widening investigation that spans potential serial killings that extend beyond Nairobi.
This shocking revelation follows the emergence of another victim's harrowing account, detailed at the Makadara sub-county police headquarters.
These alarming revelations come in the wake of Starlet Wahu's tragic murder in an Airbnb located in Nairobi's South B neighborhood. She was laid to rest at her parents' residence in Kamulu, Ruai, just two days after her lifeless body was discovered shortly after her check-in on Wednesday night.
The victim who has emerged provided a chilling narrative of her near-fatal encounter with the suspect, identified as John Ongoa Matara, whom she initially met on a dating website.
In a chilling twist, the investigation took a turn on Saturday as additional victims came forward to share their stories of assaults and life-threatening encounters involving the 30-year-old Matara.
One victim disclosed that she fell prey to the suspect on December 29 of the previous year, just days after connecting on a dating platform.
The victim recounted her ordeal, describing the initial meeting with Matara on a dating site, which led to them booking an Airbnb. However, her night took a terrifying turn as Matara launched a violent assault, demanding access to her financial accounts.
"I met this guy on a dating site... he seemed so nice and even took me to an Airbnb. In the middle of the night, he started strangling me and even asked for my M-Pesa statements," she recounted, adding, "He was trying to strangle me so much."
Preliminary findings from the police suggest that Matara may be a serial offender who targets women through online dating platforms, raising grave concerns.
"He did bad things to me and asked for my accounts and asked me to transfer the money to him," the victim added.
Requesting anonymity, the victim positively identified Matara as her assailant after news of Starlet Wahu's murder surfaced, confirming that the individual matched the person she encountered.
"It is the same guy... the number posted by DCI is the same guy I can testify that I used to transfer money to him, which is John Ongoa Mtara," the victim stated.
Surveillance footage from Papino apartments captured the sight of Wahu and Matara entering an elevator within the apartment building on Wednesday. They disembarked on the fourth floor, heading to the room they had reportedly rented for the night.
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"They booked the apartment, and at 4 am, this incident happened," disclosed Makadara OCPD Judy Nyongesa.
Following a report from the Airbnb's security personnel, police found Wahu's lifeless body in a pool of blood inside the apartment. Matara hastily left the premises on Thursday morning, wearing blood-stained clothing. He was subsequently arrested at Mbagathi Hospital, where he had sought treatment for a self-inflicted stab wound to his stomach, in an apparent attempt to mislead investigators.
A post-mortem examination conducted on Wahu's body revealed that her cause of death was excessive bleeding resulting from stabbing. Police reports also noted signs of a struggle at the scene, which appeared chaotic and disarrayed.
Authorities also discovered HIV testing kits, used condoms, marijuana, a bottle of alcohol, and a blood-stained kitchen knife, believed to be the murder weapon, at the crime scene.
