Detectives from the DCI Mbeere South have presented Benson David Mwendwa, a murder suspect, before the Embu High Court to answer charges related to the alleged brutal killing of 44-year-old Jane Kilonzi.
According to the DCI, the horrific crime occurred on September 25, 2024, in the Kiambere division of Mbeere South Sub-County, Embu County.
Kilonzi’s lifeless body was discovered in a pool of water, bearing severe bruises, with blood oozing from her mouth and nose, in what detectives have described as a brutal and deliberate act of violence.
The widow had been living on a farm where her late husband previously worked as a supervisor before his death in 2023.
Mwendwa, who took over the role of farm supervisor after Kilonzi’s husband’s passing, was initially housed in one of her son’s homes.
Although he left the job after three months, Mwendwa continued to live in the house.
According to the detectives’ investigation, Mwendwa and Kilonzi began a relationship during his stay, a relationship her son strongly disapproved of.
This tension eventually led to Mwendwa’s eviction from the house, forcing him to seek accommodation elsewhere in the nearby Isakho area.
On the night of September 25, 2024, Mwendwa returned to Kilonzi’s homestead and shared supper with her.
When he insisted on spending the night in her house, Kilonzi refused, suggesting he sleep in her son’s house, as he had done before.
A heated argument broke out, which resulted in Mwendwa striking Kilonzi on the head, knocking her unconscious.
He then dragged her to the Ciakarigu River, where he continued his brutal assault, leaving her for dead.
After an intense manhunt lasting several weeks, Mwendwa was finally arrested and brought before the Embu High Court, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder.
The suspect is currently being held at Majimbo Prison as the case is set for pre-trial hearings on November 19, 2024.
The court is now tasked with determining Mwendwa’s fate as justice for Kilonzi and her grieving family remains in focus.
