Woman accused of hiring hitman to kill city businessman freed on Ksh.300K cash bail

Winfred Wandia Kisau, the middle-aged woman accused of hiring a hitman to execute a businessman has been freed on a cash bail of Ksh.300,000 after pleading not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

Kisau is alleged to have colluded with other individuals not before the court, between July 1 and August 2024, to kill businessman Anthony Maina Mutahi.

Appearing before Milimani Law Courts Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi, Kisau, through her lawyer, told the court that she is a single mother with a seven year-old dependent. She was subsequently granted the cash bail.

Kisau was initially arrested on August 1, 2024, by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and booked at Central Police Station.

The DCI reported that the suspect and the businessman were embroiled in a legal dispute over a prime property, which is believed to be the motive behind the alleged murder plot.

Police also revealed that two other key suspects in the case were still at large.

Mutahi was reportedly targeted for murder in July 2024, according to an application presented in court by an investigating officer from Central Police Station then. The plot to kill him was foiled at the beginning of August.

In his affidavit, investigating officer George Karanja identified Kisau, Rosemary Muathe and Marvin Omondi Absalom as central figures in the murder plot.

"Back in July 2023, the businessman entered into a lease agreement with the owners of a building in town. Twenty-one days later, another woman who had previously claimed ownership of the same building appeared, making the same claim," explained a witness.

The dispute over the property, which Mutahi intended to acquire for Ksh. 1 billion, led to legal battles.

Justice M.D. Mwangi of the Environment and Lands Court ordered the parties in the initial lease agreement to go for arbitration and sort out pending issues. Despite this, Muathe allegedly continued her actions, even breaking into the property.

"We reported this to the police at Kamukunji, and the fight for ownership has been ongoing. She used influential people and all sources," added the witness.

Police further indicated that Kisau introduced Absalom to Muathe leading to several meetings to plan the execution of the murder.