- DCI detectives have apprehended Richard Gikuhe Mbugua in Ruiru after forensic evidence linked him to the killing of TUK lecturer Edgar Mokua.
- A grey Toyota Ractis believed to have been used to dump Mokua’s body was seized in Juja and impounded as evidence.
- Detectives are probing the motive and possible involvement of other individuals as the suspect awaits arraignment.
Homicide detectives have arrested a key suspect in connection with the murder of Technical University of Kenya (TUK) lecturer Edgar Mokua, in a major breakthrough in investigations into the high-profile case that has attracted widespread public attention since his disappearance earlier this month.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, July 22, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Richard Gikuhe Mbugua was arrested at Blue Estate in Ruiru after forensic investigations linked him to the murder.
“Homicide detectives have arrested the prime suspect linked to the brutal murder of Edgar Mokua, a lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), whose body was discovered after he mysteriously disappeared from his Lavington home,” reads the DCI statement in part.
Detectives also recovered a grey Toyota Ractis, registration number KBZ 002R, which is believed to have been used to transport and dispose of Mokua’s body.
The arrest comes more than two weeks after Mokua disappeared under mysterious circumstances on July 6. He was last seen leaving his residence at Princes Park in Lavington at around 4:20 pm and never returned. Following unsuccessful efforts to locate him, his family reported his disappearance at Muthangari Police Station.
The case took a tragic turn five days later when Mokua’s body was discovered near Woodcreek Academy. Officers from Kiamumbi Police Station recovered the body and transported it to the Nairobi City Mortuary, where investigators later confirmed it was that of the missing lecturer.
“The case’s complexity prompted a swift takeover by homicide detectives, and preliminary investigations revealed a series of events leading to Mokua’s demise,” stated DCI.
Detectives established that on the evening he disappeared, the lecturer spent several hours at Kettle Club in Lavington with two men and a woman before the group later proceeded to Ibiza Club at Lavington Mall.
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Investigators said Mokua’s companions eventually left the club, leaving him behind. That was the last confirmed sighting of the lecturer before his body was found dumped several kilometres away.
“Thanks to forensic intelligence, investigators established that a grey Toyota Ractis with the registration number KBZ 002R was the vehicle responsible for dropping Mokua’s body at the scene before speeding away,” DCI stated.
The forensic investigation led detectives to Mbugua, who was arrested at Ruiru Blue Estate. The Toyota Ractis was subsequently recovered at Murera Farm in Juja and has since been impounded as a key exhibit in the ongoing investigation.
The suspect remains in police custody pending arraignment as detectives continue with investigations to establish the motive behind the killing and determine whether any other individuals were involved in the lecturer’s death.
By Frank Mugwe
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