Police detain Airbnb owner after Rita Waeni murder

Priscilla Maina, the owner of short-term rental apartments along TRM Drive in Roysambu, along with three other suspects, was presented in the Makadara Courts in connection with the recent death of Rita Waeni, who was murdered in an apartment along TRM Drive, allegedly booked through Airbnb.

Priscilla Maina, along with Kelvin Mutiso, Eugene Omondi, and Brian Kinoti, is in custody for failure to register tenants’ criminal details, a legal requirement that would have aided DCI officers in their investigations.

Kelvin Mutiso, one of the suspects, was found in the neighboring house to where the JKUAT student, Waeni, was killed. Detectives discovered apparent bloodstains on and underneath Kelvin’s fingernails.

The other two suspects, Omondi (a JKUAT student) and Kinoti (a resident on the third floor of the apartment), were friends of Kelvin. They reportedly told the police that they had dinner with Kelvin the night before Waeni’s death but later parted ways with him.

Principal Magistrate Justus Kituku of Madaraka Law Courts granted the application to detain the suspects for 10 days to facilitate further investigations into the case. During the ruling, Mr. Kituku acknowledged the heightened concern over cases of victims being lured and killed in rental apartments, citing the recent incident before the court.

Defense lawyer Eunice Katila, representing Priscilla Maina, argued against the detention, stating that her client reported the incident to the police, indicating cooperation and a lack of intent to hide any information. Katila emphasized that the failure to register the personal details of a client who booked the apartment was the only mistake.

Steve Nyamu, representing Omondi and Kinoti, also opposed the detention application. The four suspects are scheduled to appear in court on January 25, 2024, as detectives continue their investigations and question witnesses.