Wife murder: Man tells court was forced to admit guilt
Mr John Wambua at Milimani Law Courts on January 22, 2025. Photo/Kyoneka Nanengwe
A carpenter, who allegedly murdered his wife in Huruma, Nairobi then dismembered her body and packaged her limbs into a bag, told a Nairobi court that he wants to recant his statement.
He claimed that he was forced to sign the statement by police.
Mr John Kyama Wambua,29, told a Milimani Magistrate Carolyne Nyaguthie that he was coerced by police to admit he killed Joy Fridah Munani,19, at Huruma estate in Nairobi.
Mr Wambua claimed in court that when he was arrested and detained at Huruma police station, some police officers forced him to sign a statement that had already been written.
"Your honour l pray the court to help me because I was forced to a sign a statement. It didn't come from me. I didn't volunteer the statement, but was compelled to sign it," Mr Wambua told the magistrate.
Mr Wambua, who was presented before Ms Nyaguthie on February 17, 2025, for a mention of his miscellaneous case, had been detained for 21 days.
The investigating officer requested the court to permit him continue holding him for 14 more days pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga on the decision whether to charge him with murder or not.
The officer told the court that they have completed investigations on Mr Wambua and have forwarded the file to DPP the for perusal and advice.
"The investigations into this matter are complete and we have since forwarded the file to the DPP"s office on February 13, 2025, for perusal and advice. We are seeking for two(2) more weeks to detain the suspect as we wait for directions from the DPP," the investigating officer told the magistrate.
The magistrate allowed the application by the police to detain Mr Wambua for a further two(2) weeks.
“I allow the police plea to detain the suspect for two more weeks. If the DPP decides to charge you, the trial court will hear your application on being forced to sign the statement. The court will give directions on the matter since today is only to mention on whether investigations were completed,” Ms Nyaguthie stated.
The case will be mentioned on March 3, 2025.
On January 20, 2025, police were allowed to detain Mr Wambua for 21 days to allow for completion of investigation.
He was arrested in Nairobi's Huruma area carrying a suspicious bag in which police found body parts of a human being.
According to the investigating officer, during interrogation, the suspect led police to his house, where additional body parts were discovered hidden under the bed.
Mr Wambua reportedly confessed that the remains belonged to his wife, Joy Fridah Munani who was aged 19.
Police allege that the suspect had admitted to killing his wife following an argument after finding her with another man.
He reportedly confessed to dismembering the body in an attempt to dispose of it.
Police from Huruma Police Station, in collaboration with the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau of the DCI, conducted a site analysis and recovered one of the alleged murder weapons.
During the interrogation, the suspect confessed that the body parts belonged to his deceased wife.
Following the revelation, the officers were compelled to visit the suspect's house for further interrogation.
While conducting the investigations, the officers reportedly found more dismembered parts of a human body under the bed.
