Kenyan authorities have detained a Mozambican attempting to leave the country, following the murder of Rita Waeni, a 20-year-old Kenyan student.
He was apprehended on Tuesday following a tip-off by Kenyan security agents. Rita Waeni’s dismembered body was found last Sunday at a short-term serviced apartment in Nairobi, the country’s capital.
Her family says they believe “she was lured by her killer, who also tried to extort money from her family, even after killing her”.
The murderer sent three messages from Ms Waeni’s phone on Sunday morning, demanding that her family pay a ransom of Ksh 500,000 within 24 hours to secure her release, her family stated on Wednesday.
Her dismembered corpse was found shortly afterwards. According to a representative of the family on Wednesday, “Unfortunately, the family did not get further details about the ransom or an opportunity to explore this route. Additionally, some demands were made when she had already been murdered.”
The police are still in search of Ms Waeni’s head, which was taken by her murderer, along with her phone and other personal belongings.
The family said they are devastated by the killing, “and especially by how she was killed”.
Police are also trying to match the suspect to a man captured by security cameras picking up the keys to the rental apartment.
Investigators who gained access to Ms Waeni’s Instagram account say that the killer lured her through the social media app. Two other persons of interest have been arrested in connection with the murder.
Ms Waeni’s was entering her final year of studies at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Her brutal murder is the latest in a wave of killings of women. Many Kenyans are infuriated and it is evident by the online campaign calling for the protection of women and girls against violence. Earlier this month, a Kenyan socialite was similarly murdered.