Naftali Njahi Kinuthia to be detained for 14 days in Ivy Wangechi murder case

The courts on Monday ruled to detain Naftali Njahi Kinuthia for 14 days as the proceedings for the Ivy Wangechi murder commenced.

The ruling was passed to allow police to compile the witness statements before the case goes to trial.

Mr Kinuthia is charged as the prime suspect in the murder of Moi University student Ivy who he has not denied hacking the girl to death.

The 28-year-old man will be held at the Nauberi Police Station in Eldoret and will be allowed to get medical attention for his injuries while in custody.

Naftali Njahi Kinuthia during his first court appearance following murder of Ivy Wangechi (Twitter) Pulse Live Kenya

Kinuthia was released from the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital on Friday after receiving treatment for serious head injuries.

Crime of passion

Kinuthia has not denied killing the 25-year-old Medicine student with an axe.

In his statement to detectives, Kinuthia explained that he was enraged when he hacked his love interest.

DCI further revealed that forensic investigations of the suspect's phone had shown that he had been in communication with Wangechi for weeks before he finally killed her.

He had also sent over Sh24,000 to the victim for a birthday party she was planning and had met with her for a cup of tea on the day he murdered her.

According to the investigations, it was after Wangechi switched her phone off and refused to communicate with the suspect that he purchased an axe and a knife and had them sharpened before he attacked.