John Matara, the alleged killer of Starlet Wahu, is accused of rape and stealing in court
John Matara, currently facing charges related to the murder of socialite Starlet Wahu, has reappeared in court, this time at Ruiru Law Courts, facing accusations of violently robbing and raping a woman in Kahawa Wendani, a Nairobi suburb, in 2023.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) informed Senior Principal Magistrate Charles Mwaniki at Ruiru Law Courts that Matara had threatened the victim with a knife during the robbery, stating that he would eliminate her if she resisted.
Matara, who pleaded not guilty to both the capital offence and the sexual crime, allegedly violently robbed the woman on May 16, 2023, in Kahawa Wendani, stealing Sh30,000 from her mobile money, two mobile phones valued at Sh40,000, an ATM Card, and an international passport worth Sh88,300.
In addition to the robbery charges, Matara faces a separate count of rape, with the prosecution asserting that he sodomized the victim of violent robbery on May 13, 2023.
During the court proceedings, Matara’s lawyer, Samuel Ayora, applied for his client’s release on reasonable bail terms, citing alleged physical assault by police officers during his arrest. Ayora claimed that police pulled Matara’s genitalia and argued that he requires urgent medical attention.
In response, the prosecuting counsel argued that the defense lawyer’s claims should be treated as evidence and recommended filing a formal complaint at a police station for investigation purposes.
Magistrate Mwaniki, in a brief ruling, directed that Matara be taken to the hospital for treatment and a report filed on his medical status. The magistrate specified that the investigating officer should obtain specimens from the accused for DNA analysis, and the results would be presented as evidence in the case.
The ruling on Matara’s release application was reserved for March 8, 2024. Matara is also separately charged with the murder of Wahu, whose lifeless body was found in a South B apartment in Nairobi in January 2024.
