NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 — The body of a seven-year-old boy who went missing on Sunday has been recovered in Nairobi’s Dagoretti area after a four-day search.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Friday that its detectives found the victim’s body dumped in Kirigu location on Thursday evening.
The agency said that its detectives had earlier arrested the victim’s relative in connection with his disappearance and murder.
“Dagoretti-based detectives who scrupulously pursued the missing child report filed by the child’s mother at Kirigu Police Post, had earlier arrested one suspect; Maxwell Muigai, 20, a cousin to the boy’s father,” the agency said.
The DCI added that the arrest was effected after forensic-based intelligence revealed that the suspect had reached out to the victim’s family demanding for ransom as a condition for his release.
“After hours of interrogation, the sleuths established that on the evening the minor went missing, Muigai had at around 5pm beckoned the boy as he played outside their house, before disappearing with him to an unknown location,” the agency said.
“It was until nightfall that the boy’s parents realized their son was missing, after all other children playing in the neighbourhood ambled back to their residences, but him,” they added.
The DCI said that the 20-year-old suspect led the detectives to Kirigu area at 2pm on Thursday where he had dumped the body of the victim after murdering him when his family failed to raise the ransom.
“The scene was processed and the body moved to PCEA Kikuyu mortuary pending autopsy. The suspect is in custody, and will plead to Murder charges once all the necessary legal procedures are completed,” the agency stated.
The DCI called on parents, guardians and caregivers, to ensure the safety of their children and promptly inform security agencies whenever there is a threat towards a child’s life.
