Starlet Wahu's murder: More victims of John Matara emerge, record statements

More victims of John Ongoa Matara have recorded statements with detectives at the Makadara sub-county police headquarters four days after his arrest, claiming they were assaulted, tortured, and sodomised by the suspect, who later stole their cash and left them with life threatening injuries.

The suspects, some of whom reported the incident seven months ago, blame the police for their slow investigation, claiming that the suspect could have been apprehended before causing further harm and death.

The investigation into the brutal murder  took a new turn on Saturday, when more victims came forward to write statements about the main suspect's assaults and attempts on their lives.

The latest victim reported to the Makadara sub-county headquarters, claiming that she fell victim to the suspect on December 29,  last year, days after meeting on a dating site.

In a chilling account, the victim described meeting Matara on a dating website before booking an Airbnb, where he launched a violent assault and demanded access to her financial accounts.

“I met this guy on a dating site..he seemed so nice and even took me on an Airbnb,” one of Matara’s victims told Citizen TV.

“In the middle of night, he started strangling me and even asked for my MPESA statements.,”

“He was trying to strangle me so much….”

Preliminary police findings suggest Matara might be a serial killer targeting women through online dating platforms.

“He did bad things to me and asked for my accounts and asked me to transfer the money to him,” the victim recounted the incident.

After learning of Starlet Wahu's murder, the victim, who requested anonymity, identified Matara as the perpetrator, 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..” he added.

The shocking revelations come after Starlet Wahu, who was murdered in an Airbnb in Nairobi's South B, was buried at her parents' home in Ruai's Kamulu area. 

Her burial occurred only two days after her lifeless body was discovered on Thursday, shortly after checking into the flat on Wednesday night.

Starlet Wahu and John Matara were captured on video entering a lift within the Papino apartment block on Wednesday before disembarking on the fourth floor and proceeding to their Y32 room, which they had reportedly rented for the night.

“Walibook apartment and at 4am hicho kisa kikatokea....”Judy Nyongesa, Makadara OCPD told the media.

Police discovered the deceased's lifeless body in a pool of blood inside the flat after the air bnb's security reported the incident to authorities.

Matara reportedly left the premises in a hurry on Thursday morning, wearing bloodstained clothes. He was apprehended at Mbagathi Hospital, where he was being treated for a stab wound to his stomach.

Police believe he intentionally inflicted the wound on himself in order to mislead the investigators.

“When the police arrived at the scene, blood was gushing out of her thigh,” Nyongesa said.

Wahu died as a result of excessive bleeding caused by stabbing, according to a post-mortem examination performed on her body on Friday.

According to police reports, there were signs of a struggle between Wahu and her killer, as the scene appeared bloody, disorganised, and chaotic.

At the scene, police also discovered HIV testing kits, used condoms, bhang, a bottle of alcohol, and a blood-stained kitchen knife, which was believed to be the murder weapon.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Sunday evening said investigations currently point to “a possible serial sexual offender who thrives on blackmail to his victims,” and who may be part of a criminal ring that targets women on dating sites and social media.

“We encourage more witnesses of such brutality and monstrous attacks to come out and record statements with our detectives,” the investigative agency said in a statement on X.