Three suspects in Embu college student’s murder freed on Ksh.500K bond

Three suspects accused of murdering Embu college student Jackline Waruguru Kathuri in November have been arraigned at the Kerugoya High Court.

The suspects, Collins Muchira, John Brian Kimotho Kamau and Stephen Muchiri Karani appeared before Kerugoya High Court judge Edward Muriithi, where they were charged with murder contrary to section 203 as read with section 204 of the Penal Code.

The trio pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them and have been released on a bond of Ksh.500,000 each, with a surety of the same amount.

The three were arrested two weeks ago in connection with the murder of the 22-year-old student in Gichugu.

Waruguru is said to have gone missing on November 16, after which the matter was reported at Kiamutugu police station.

Her mutilated body was discovered a week later on Saturday evening, November 22, 2025 in a coffee plantation at Ngotho, Ngiriambu village in Gichugu.

Waruguru's family, led by her father Moses Kiura, had been searching for her.  Their search ended in tragedy after her decomposing body was found severely disfigured.

She was a first-year Human Resource student at Embu College, and the nature of the murder has sparked fear among the residents of Gichugu.

According to Dr Peter Williams, a pathologist who conducted the postmortem at Kerugoya mortuary, Waruguru died of strangulation. The decomposing body had a skeletal head, without a right hand or breast.

The pathologist said Waruguru's private parts and organs were also decomposed.