Police hunt suspect in rape and death of 62-year-old woman in Ruiru

Police have launched a manhunt for a suspect linked to the rape and subsequent death of a 62-year-old woman in Ruiru, Kiambu County.

The victim was attacked at dawn on Tuesday while walking along the Ruiru Bridge on her way to work at a coffee farm in Ruiru town from Matangi-ini area.

Kiambu County Police Commander Michael Muchiri confirmed that the woman succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, where she had been transferred following the assault.

Muchiri, who condemned the incident as “horrendous,” assured the public that security agencies are treating the matter with utmost seriousness.

“The government is committed to addressing crimes of femicide with the urgency they deserve. Our officers are pursuing crucial leads and will bring the perpetrator to justice,” Muchiri said.

He added that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Homicide Unit have already gathered critical evidence.

According to reports, the assailant inserted a sharp object into the victim’s private parts during the attack, causing her to bleed profusely. Officers from the homicide unit collected samples from the crime scene to aid in investigations.

Ruiru Sub-County Police Commander Alex Shikondi, who accompanied Muchiri to the scene, urged members of the public to come forward with any information that could assist in apprehending the suspect.

Earlier, officers from Ruiru Police Station received a report from members of the public that an elderly woman was found lying by the roadside, bleeding heavily.

Police responded promptly, taking her to the Ruiru Prison Hospital for first aid before she was referred to Nairobi Women’s Hospital for specialized care.

Before her death, the victim narrated to police that she was on her way to work at around 4 a.m. when she was accosted by an unknown man who raped her and fled into the darkness.

The police have appealed for cooperation from the public to expedite the suspect’s arrest as investigations continue.