In a breakthrough for a case that shocked the nation, a major fugitive in one of Kenya’s most high-profile femicide investigations has been captured. The suspect, wanted in connection with the brutal October 2024 murder of a woman in Thika, was arrested on December 13, 2025, in Busia town, mere kilometres from the Uganda border.
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives, in a coordinated operation with regional officers, tracked the man down to a local business where he had allegedly been hiding and working while on the run for over a year. The arrest was the culmination of what the DCI described as “intelligence-led operations, inter-county coordination, and forensic analysis.”
A Case That Sparked a Manhunt
The investigation began in October 2024, when the victim’s body was discovered inside a residential building in Thika. The grim find prompted an intensive search for the prime suspect, who, according to investigators, immediately vanished and began moving across regions to evade capture.
His arrest near an international crossing point underscores the lengths to which suspects in such cases may go to escape justice—a troubling reality reflected in broader national data.
A National Crisis in Focus
This arrest brings renewed attention to Kenya’s femicide epidemic, which reached a tragic peak in 2024. Records compiled by civil society and research organisations show that last year was the deadliest on record for such killings, with at least 170 women murdered.
Recent data analyses paint a devastating picture:
Between September and November 2024 alone, 97 femicide cases were recorded—an average of more than one woman killed per day.
Long-term tracking shows more than 600 women were murdered between 2016 and 2024.
In a staggering 77% of cases, the killer was an intimate partner or a family member.
Women aged 18-35 are the most frequent victims, with suspects also predominantly men in the same age group.
The home, a place of presumed safety, is the most common crime scene, accounting for 72% of these murders.
Nairobi, Kiambu, and Nakuru counties bear the heaviest burden of these killings. For families seeking closure, the path to justice is agonizingly slow; court records indicate it takes an average of over four years for a femicide case to reach a verdict after being filed.
A Step Toward Accountability
The suspect now awaits arraignment, as police finalize processing. His arrest after a 14-month chase offers a moment of cautious relief and a testament to persistent investigative work. It also serves as a stark reminder of the urgent, collective action needed—from prevention and protection to judicial reform—to address a crisis that continues to claim lives behind closed doors.
The DCI has confirmed the suspect is in custody. The identity of the Thika victim remains protected out of respect for the family.
